Definition
To hurry or rush; to move or act more quickly than usual.
Example
電車に乗り遅れないように急いだ。
Show translation
I hurried so I wouldn't miss the train.
Etymology
From Old Japanese *isogu*, itself likely derived from *iso* (haste, urgency). The root appears in the related noun 急ぎ (*isogi*, haste) and the adjectival form 急がしい (*isogashii*, busy/rushed). The kanji 急 (Chinese: *jí*) meaning "sudden, urgent" was applied to the existing native Japanese word.
Cultural note
Japanese culture has a nuanced relationship with hurrying. While efficiency is highly valued — trains run to the second, and being late is considered disrespectful — there is also a counterbalancing proverb: 急いては事を仕損じる (*Isoide wa koto wo shisonjiru*), meaning "Haste makes waste." This tension between punctuality and careful action is very present in everyday Japanese life.