How to say "early" in Japanese

• 早々はやばやCommon
  adverb (with と)Read はやばや, this covers doing something earlier or more promptly than expected, often with a sense of haste or courtesy. Typical in expressions meaning to leave or reply promptly, as when excusing oneself early from a gathering.
  彼かれは戦争せんそうが早々はやばやと終おわるとあてこんでいた。↗

  He gambled on the war coming to an early end.
• 早くはやくCommon
  adverb, nounThe adverbial form covering 'early' and 'soon': arrive early, wake up early, finish early. It is the usual choice when you want to say that something happens at an early time.
  あなたが早はやくよくなるように祈いのっています。↗

  We are hoping for your quick recovery.
• 早いはやいJLPT N5approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe basic adjective for 'early', including 'earlier than usual': an early morning, an early train, it is still early. Use this when describing a noun or predicating that something is early.
  今年ことしは春はるの訪おとずれが早はやかった。↗

  Spring has come early this year.
• 早はやCommon
  noun (prefix), noun (suffix), nounGlossed 'quick; early; fast; rapid', this reading of the character appears mainly in fixed expressions and set phrases rather than as a free-standing way to say 'early'. For ordinary sentences, 早い or 早く is usually the word you want.
  早熟はやなれの早はや腐くさり。↗

  Soon ripe, soon rotten.
• 早々そうそうCommon
  adverbRead そうそう, this means hurriedly or in haste, as in leaving hurriedly. Despite the gloss 'promptly', it is seldom the word you want for the time sense of 'early'; it emphasizes rushing rather than earliness.

Use 「早い」 for the adjective 'early', 「早く」 for its adverb 'early/soon', 早々（はやばや） for doing something promptly or earlier than expected, and 早（はや） mainly in fixed expressions; 早々（そうそう） means hurriedly, not 'early'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 早々はやばやearly
• 早くはやくearly
• 早めはやめearly
• はよearly
• アーリーearly
• 早うはようearly
• 原初的げんしょてきearly
• 早過ぎるはやすぎるpremature
• 早いはやいearly
• 浅いあさいshort (time)
• 早はやquick
• 早々そうそうhurriedly