迟早
sooner or later
Structure
主语 迟早 （会／要） 动词 ； 这是 迟早的事
What it means
“Sooner or later”: something is bound to happen; only the timing is open.
How it is built
Subject + 迟早 + 会／要 + verb: 你天天熬夜，身体迟早会出问题 (stay up every night and your health will suffer sooner or later). 是迟早的事 = it is only a matter of time.
When to use it
Goes before the verb, usually with 会 or 要: 他们俩结婚是迟早的事. The spoken twin is 早晚, which can also mean “morning and evening”.
Watch out
Don’t put it at the end as in English: ✗ 会出问题迟早。 ✓ 迟早会出问题。
Examples
你这样天天熬夜，身体迟早会出问题。
If you keep staying up every night like this, your health will suffer sooner or later.
纸包不住火，这件事迟早会被大家知道。
You can’t wrap fire in paper: everyone will find out sooner or later.
他们俩结婚是迟早的事。
Those two getting married is only a matter of time.
Learn this in Lesson 16 · HSK 5: 共享单车的兴衰 (The rise and fall of the shared bike)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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