Good Understanding of These Words: 緊急きんきゅう, 至急しきゅう and 早急そうきゅう

Yuka

I keep seeing 緊急, 至急, and 早急 in emails and announcements. They all seem to mean ‘urgent.’ Are they interchangeable?

Rei

They all express urgency, but at different levels and in different contexts! 緊急 is for genuine emergencies. 至急 is ‘as soon as possible.’ 早急 is formal ‘promptly.’ Let me explain each one!

Three Japanese words express urgency — 緊急（きんきゅう）, 至急（しきゅう）, and 早急（そうきゅう／さっきゅう） — but they differ in urgency level, formality, and typical usage context.

At a Glance

緊急: Genuine Emergency

緊急 is reserved for genuine emergencies — situations that require immediate response because something serious has happened:

• 緊急連絡が入りました。— An emergency notification has come in.
• 緊急事態宣言が発令された。— A state of emergency has been declared.
• 緊急の場合は119番に電話してください。— In an emergency, please call 119.
• 緊急会議を開く必要がある。— We need to hold an emergency meeting.
• これは緊急を要する問題だ。— This is a matter that requires urgent attention.

至急: As Soon As Possible

至急 means “urgently” or “as soon as possible” — used when something needs to be done promptly but isn’t necessarily a crisis:

• 至急ご連絡ください。— Please contact us as soon as possible.
• 至急対応をお願いします。— Please handle this urgently.
• 至急確認してください。— Please check this right away.
• 至急この書類に目を通してほしい。— I’d like you to look over these documents urgently.
• 至急手配いたします。— I will arrange it immediately.

早急: Promptly and Without Delay

早急 (pronounced そうきゅう or さっきゅう) is used in formal and written contexts to mean “promptly” or “as quickly as possible” — slightly less urgent than 至急:

• 早急に対処いたします。— We will address this promptly.
• 早急な対応をお願いします。— We ask for a prompt response.
• 早急に解決するべき問題だ。— This is an issue that should be resolved promptly.
• 早急にご返答をお待ちしております。— We look forward to your prompt reply.

Yuka

So if there’s a real emergency I use 緊急, but for work emails where I need a fast reply I use 至急 or 早急?

Rei

Exactly! 緊急 = something dangerous or critical is happening right now. 至急 = please act on this right away (work context). 早急 = please do this without delay (formal writing). All three express urgency, but at different scales.

Side-by-Side Usage

Quick Quiz

1. 事故が発生しました。___に救急車を呼んでください。(emergency) → 緊急
2. ___ご連絡いただけますか？(urgent — work email) → 至急
3. この件は___に解決する必要があります。(formal: promptly) → 早急
4. ___事態が発生した。(emergency situation) → 緊急

Summary

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