The kanji 急 primarily conveys the idea of "urgent," "sudden," or "hasty." It implies a sense of immediacy, needing to be done quickly, or occurring unexpectedly. It can also describe a steep incline.

・On-yomi (音読み): キュウ (kyuu) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): いそ（ぐ） (iso(gu)) - to hurry, to rush

⚫︎ 急（きゅう）に雨（あめ）が降（ふ）り始（はじ）めた。 Translation: It suddenly started raining. ⚫︎ 急（いそ）いで学校（がっこう）に行（い）きなさい。 Translation: Hurry to school. ⚫︎ 救急車（きゅうきゅうしゃ）を呼（よ）んでください。 Translation: Please call an ambulance.

The kanji 急 is a combination of two parts: 冫 (left radical) and 急. The left radical 冫, derived from 二 (two) and represents ice, and 急 itself is a phonetic component. This indicates “to hurry like the rapid flow of water." The overall image suggests something swift or sudden. The shape originally depicted a person facing a steep slope, further reinforcing the meaning of suddenness or steepness. The character’s meaning has evolved over time to encompass urgency and immediacy.