马上
immediately; right away
mǎshàng
What does 马上 mean?
马上 (mǎshàng) is an adverb meaning 'right away,' 'immediately,' or 'in a moment.' Literally 'on horseback' — the phrase originally meant 'in the time it takes to mount a horse,' i.e. very soon. Modern usage covers a wider span than English 'immediately': depending on context, 马上 can mean 'this second,' 'within a few minutes,' or even 'in the near future.'
我马上来 from a friend you are waiting on might mean five minutes or twenty. 马上 always precedes the verb: 我马上做 ('I'll do it right away'), never 我做马上. It can also pair with 就 for extra emphasis: 马上就要走了 ('about to leave any second now'). Note that 马上 describes when something will happen, not how fast it happens — for speed, use 快 (kuài).
Note: Works in both spoken and written Chinese. For more formal writing, 立刻 (lìkè) or 立即 (lìjí) are stronger and more emphatic.
Character breakdown
horse
on; upon; on top of
Memory hook: Literally 'on the horse' — in old China, 'on horseback' meant 'as fast as a rider can get there,' which became 'right away.'
Example sentences
你等一下，我马上来。
Nǐ děng yíxià, wǒ mǎshàng lái.
Wait a sec, I'll be right there.
spoken
火车马上就要开了。
Huǒchē mǎshàng jiù yào kāi le.
The train is about to leave.
neutral
请你马上回家。
Qǐng nǐ mǎshàng huí jiā.
Please go home right away.
neutral
我吃完饭马上给你打电话。
Wǒ chī wán fàn mǎshàng gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.
I'll call you right after I finish eating.
spoken
考试马上就要开始了。
Kǎoshì mǎshàng jiù yào kāishǐ le.
The exam is about to start.
neutral
Common phrases with 马上
Synonyms
立刻 is stronger and more formal than 马上 — 'this instant, no delay.' Use 立刻 in writing, news, and emphatic commands; 马上 in everyday speech.
立即 is the most formal of the three, common in written notices, official announcements, and instructions ('请立即离开'). 马上 is the everyday spoken equivalent.
赶快 means 'hurry up' — it pushes the listener to act faster. 马上 simply says 'soon' without urging. Use 赶快走 to mean 'leave quickly!' and 马上走 to mean 'leaving in a moment.'