Meaning of 继续
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to continue; to proceed with; to go on with
How to use 继续
继续 can go before a verb or a phrase to mean keep doing something, or it can stand alone as a command. You will hear 继续 a lot in class and at work when someone pauses and then resumes. Example: 我们继续上课吧。(Wǒmen jìxù shàngkè ba.) Let's continue the class.
Both 继 (jì) and 续 (xù) have the silk radical 纟 on the left, like threads tied end to end. Picture tying a new piece of thread onto the old one so the line keeps going: that is 继续, to continue.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 继续 with 连续 (liánxù). 继续 means to carry on, even after a break. 连续 means in a row with no break, as in 连续三天 (three days in a row). Also keep both syllables in the fourth tone: jì xù, not jǐ xū.
继续 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
继 jì · to continue · 10 strokes
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续 xù · to continue · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 继续.
| 持续 | chíxù | to continue; to last; to persist |
| 连续 | liánxù | continuous; in a row |
| 手续 | shǒuxù | procedure; formalities |
| 连续剧 | liánxùjù | TV series |
| 延续 | yánxù | to continue; to go on |
| 陆续 | lùxù | in turn; successively |
| 继承 | jìchéng | to inherit; to succeed to (the throne etc) |
| 手续费 | shǒuxùfèi | service charge; processing fee |
| 继父 | jìfù | stepfather |
| 继母 | jìmǔ | stepmother |
| 后续 | hòuxù | follow-up; (dialect) to remarry |
| 夜以继日 | yèyǐjìrì | night and day (idiom); continuous strenuous effort |
Questions about 继续
What does 继续 mean?
继续 (jìxù) means "to continue; to proceed with; to go on with" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 继续?
继续 is made of 2 characters: 继 (10 strokes), 续 (11 strokes). That is 21 strokes in total.
Is 继续 an HSK word?
Yes. 继续 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 继续 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 继续 is written 繼續.
What is the difference between 继续 and 持续?
继续 is about a person choosing to go on doing something, often after a pause, as in 继续工作 (keep working). 持续 (chíxù) describes a state or situation that lasts over time, as in 雨持续了三天 (the rain lasted three days). 持续 sounds more formal.
Can 继续 be followed by a noun?
Yes. It can take a noun as an object, as in 继续你的故事 (continue your story). Most often, though, it is followed by a verb phrase, as in 继续学习中文 (keep studying Chinese).