Turning up early to someone's home
Informal Depends on context
What it really means
Surprisingly, arriving EARLY at someone's house can be worse than arriving a bit late — the host may still be cooking, cleaning or getting dressed. For home invitations, arrive on time or five to ten minutes after. If you're early, wait nearby or walk around the block. For everything official, early is good.
Chinese explanation
令人意外的是，去别人家做客时早到可能比略微晚到更糟——主人可能还在做饭、打扫或换衣服。受邀去家里，准时或晚5到10分钟到最合适。到早了就在附近等等或绕一圈。而一切正式场合，早到都是好事。
Example conversation
A: The invite says seven. Shall we get there at six forty-five?
B: No! Turning up early is worse than being late. We'll knock at five past.
A：邀请上写七点。我们六点四十五到怎么样？
B：别！早到比迟到还糟。我们七点零五再敲门。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
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· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake