HSK 4 立刻 vs 马上
At once (formal) vs right away (spoken) — both 'immediately' with different feel
Comparison / 对比
| 立刻 lìkè | 马上 mǎshàng | |
|---|---|---|
| Register | Formal, written, news, instructions | Spoken, everyday, informal |
| Time gap | Almost simultaneously (0 seconds) | Very soon (a few seconds to minutes) |
| Common use | 立刻去办 / 立刻通知 / 立刻执行 | 马上来 / 马上回家 / 马上就好 |
| Spoken Chinese | Less common in casual chat | Most common 'immediately' word |
Examples / 例句
Fill in the Blank / 填空练习
Type the correct word to complete each sentence. Press Enter or click Check.
Quick Quiz / 小测验
Real HSK 4 Test Questions Using 立刻 or 马上 / 真题示例
2 actual HSK 4 questions from our mock exams that test the 立刻 vs 马上 distinction:
立刻 vs 马上 FAQ
Are 立刻 and 马上 interchangeable in HSK 4?
No. Although 立刻 (lìkè) and 马上 (mǎshàng) translate similarly into English, HSK 4 fill-in-the-blank and listening questions test exactly the distinction between them. 立刻 = strictly 'at once', formal tone, often in news/orders/business.
How is 立刻 vs 马上 tested in HSK 4?
Most often in HSK 4 阅读 (reading) Part 1 选词填空 (Q46-55), where you choose the correct word for a blank in a sentence. Also appears in 听力 (listening) where the speaker uses one but the printed answer paraphrases with the other. Master both 立刻 and 马上 collocations to lock in these points.
What's the quickest way to remember 立刻 vs 马上?
立刻 = strictly 'at once', formal tone, often in news/orders/business. 马上 = 'right away', everyday spoken Chinese, slightly more flexible (can mean 'in a few minutes'). For HSK 4: use 马上 in dialogue questions and casual contexts; use 立刻 in passages about formal action. 立即 (lìjí) is even more formal — almost identical to 立刻 but less common in HSK 4. Practice 3-5 fill-in-blank questions in our HSK 4 mock exams to lock the distinction.