<p>晚 and 遲 are interchangeable when it is used as an adverb for "late"</p>

<p>For example, 晚到= 遲到; 來晚了= 來遲了</p>

<p>But 遲 have the additional meaning of "delay"</p>

<p>Example: </p>

<ul>
<li><p>You can say <strong>遲遲</strong>才回覆 (reply after <strong>long delay</strong>/ reply <strong>very late</strong>) but you can't say  晚晚才回覆</p></li>
<li><p>You can say <strong>遲</strong>則有變 (situations change when you <strong>delay</strong> your action/ situations change when you are <strong>late</strong> to act) but you can't say  晚則有變 </p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T08:08:08.340Z
2017-09-15T08:08:08.340Z
Tang Ho
<p>迟(the standard simplified Chinese word, while the Chinese Traditional is 遲) and 晚 both have the meaning of late.</p>

<ul>
<li><p><strong>迟</strong> usually means <strong>late for the appointed time or a certain time</strong>.
example: Party七点开始，你来<strong>迟</strong>了!—— The party start at 7:00 pm, you came
late! </p>

<p>The word '迟到' is frequently used to describe late for certain time</p></li>
<li><p><strong>晚</strong> is more complex</p>

<p>It has the meaning of <strong>late for a certain time</strong>.
example: Party七点开始，你来<strong>晚</strong>了!—— The party start at 7:00 pm, you came
late! </p>

<p>It also have the meaning of <strong>just being late</strong> but not for a
certain time. example: 他很<strong>晚</strong>到家—— He arrived home very late. example:
他昨晚很<strong>晚</strong>离开—— He left late last night. </p>

<p>Or it means <strong>evening</strong>. example:
晚上——evening, example:今<strong>晚</strong>——tonight, example:昨<strong>晚</strong>——last night.</p></li>
</ul>

<hr>

<p>Fun fact: to describe public transportation's behind schedule, the word is 晚点, where '点' means the schedule time for public transportation to arrive.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T09:39:43.423Z
There is a misspelling 'Parity' in your answer. I guess you meant 'party'.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T08:25:42.623Z
2017-09-15T12:26:28.767Z
2017-09-15T12:26:28.767Z
jiaxyan
<p>I think it's meaningless to just compare them without context. Maybe know more phrases can be more helpful.</p>

<p>eg:</p>

<p>I'm late.</p>

<p>correct: 我来晚了，我迟到了，我迟到了
wrong: 我晚了</p>

<p>In many case, they are very similar. But in other case, they different, and can't replace with each other.</p>

<p>eg:</p>

<p>evening/night</p>

<p>correct:晚上/夜晚  (can't use 迟)</p>

<p>delay</p>

<p>correct:延迟  (can't use 晚)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T07:51:03.450Z
2017-09-15T07:51:03.450Z
KFJK
<p>To indicate late, 晚 is more modern while 遲(迟) is more ancient. Cantonese has retained many ancient Chinese language components. 
Both of them is understandable in nowadays communication. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T07:41:14.670Z
2017-09-15T07:41:14.670Z
HonanLi
<p>In Cantonese, you can use 遲 to indicate someone is late (e.g., not punctual) or the time is late (e.g., past midnight so all restaurants are closed).</p>

<p>However, it seems like Mandarin speakers use 晚 in place of 遲 most of the time.</p>

<p>What are the Mandarin guidelines for using 遲 vs. 晚? Should you just always use 晚?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-18T03:05:58.263Z
Another character that is used for "late" in Cantonese is 晏, which I don't think is used in that way in Mandarin.
user102008
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-30T17:22:11.880Z
夜 is also used to mean "late" in Cantonese, as in "late at night".  It is closer to the usage of 晚 in Mandarin.  For example, 你咁夜都仲未返屋企？ in Cantonese would be 你這麼晚還未回家? in Mandarin.
ckpwong
<mandarin><cantonese>
遲 vs. 晚 in Mandarin: when to use which one?
# 遲 vs. 晚 in Mandarin: when to use which one?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-15)

In Cantonese, you can use 遲 to indicate someone is late (e.g., not punctual) or the time is late (e.g., past midnight so all restaurants are closed).

However, it seems like Mandarin speakers use 晚 in place of 遲 most of the time.

What are the Mandarin guidelines for using 遲 vs. 晚? Should you just always use 晚?

**Tags:** mandarin, cantonese

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Another character that is used for "late" in Cantonese is 晏, which I don't think is used in that way in Mandarin.  
> **username_2**: 夜 is also used to mean "late" in Cantonese, as in "late at night".  It is closer to the usage of 晚 in Mandarin.  For example, 你咁夜都仲未返屋企？ in Cantonese would be 你這麼晚還未回家? in Mandarin.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-09-15. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

晚 and 遲 are interchangeable when it is used as an adverb for "late"

For example, 晚到= 遲到; 來晚了= 來遲了

But 遲 have the additional meaning of "delay"

Example:

* You can say **遲遲**才回覆 (reply after **long delay**/ reply **very late**) but you can't say 晚晚才回覆
* You can say **遲**則有變 (situations change when you **delay** your action/ situations change when you are **late** to act) but you can't say 晚則有變


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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-09-15. Score: 2

迟(the standard simplified Chinese word, while the Chinese Traditional is 遲) and 晚 both have the meaning of late.

* **迟** usually means **late for the appointed time or a certain time**.
  example: Party七点开始，你来**迟**了!—— The party start at 7:00 pm, you came
  late!

  The word '迟到' is frequently used to describe late for certain time
* **晚** is more complex

  It has the meaning of **late for a certain time**.
  example: Party七点开始，你来**晚**了!—— The party start at 7:00 pm, you came
  late!

  It also have the meaning of **just being late** but not for a
  certain time. example: 他很**晚**到家—— He arrived home very late. example:
  他昨晚很**晚**离开—— He left late last night.

  Or it means **evening**. example:
  晚上——evening, example:今**晚**——tonight, example:昨**晚**——last night.

---

Fun fact: to describe public transportation's behind schedule, the word is 晚点, where '点' means the schedule time for public transportation to arrive.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: There is a misspelling 'Parity' in your answer. I guess you meant 'party'.  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2017-09-15. Score: 1

I think it's meaningless to just compare them without context. Maybe know more phrases can be more helpful.

eg:

I'm late.

correct: 我来晚了，我迟到了，我迟到了
wrong: 我晚了

In many case, they are very similar. But in other case, they different, and can't replace with each other.

eg:

evening/night

correct:晚上/夜晚 (can't use 迟)

delay

correct:延迟 (can't use 晚)


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### Answer by username_7 on 2017-09-15. Score: 0

To indicate late, 晚 is more modern while 遲(迟) is more ancient. Cantonese has retained many ancient Chinese language components.
Both of them is understandable in nowadays communication.


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