These two adjectives express similar meanings and are read the same way, but use different kanji. Let’s capture an image of what each kanji means so we can use them properly!
早い (はやい)
Translation: early; soon
It expresses that something is happening or done earlier than some standard or expected times.
早く春にならないかなぁ。
“I hope it will be spring very soon.”
*Using the calendar date as a basis, the speaker wants spring to come as soon as possible.
できるだけ早く来てください。
“Please come as soon as possible.”
*Using the time on the clock as a basis, the speaker wants someone to come as soon as possible, even if it’s a minute or a second.
検査の結果がわかったら早めに知らせてください。
”Please let me know as soon as you get the results of the (medical) tests.”
*Using the usual date for receiving test results (next clinic appointment) as a basis, the speaker wants them to move up the date and inform the results as soon as possible, even by phone.
速い (はやい)
Translation: fast; quick; rapid
It expresses that something is happening quickly, taking a short amount of time or how fast things are done.
速く効く頭痛薬はどれですか？
“Which medicine for headaches works fast?”
彼らの会話のスピードが速すぎて話についていけない。
“Their conversation speed is too fast for me to keep up with them.”
Antonym
The antonym for both kanji is「遅い」(おそい).
↔antonym for 早い
今日はいつもより遅く起きた。
“I woke up later than usual today.”
antonym for 速い
姉は歩くのが遅い。
“My sister walks slowly.”
Usage 1
バスの方が早い
“The bus arrives earlier.”
It expresses that the bus will arrive earlier than other transportation methods, including trains that are faster than buses.
バスの方が速い
“Buses are faster (than certain vehicles).”
It expresses that buses are faster than other vehicles (e.g., bicycles and electric scooters).
Usage 2
早い電車
“Early trains”
Trains that run early in the morning (or come before the train being compared)
速い電車
“Fast trains”
Fast trains like express trains with a short time to arrive
Usage 3
「早いね」
“You’re early today.”
The speaker talked to a colleague who arrived at work earlier than his usual (standard) arrival time, which was 8:30 am.
「速いね」
“You must have prepared fast and rushed to the office.”
The speaker talked to a colleague who said he had overslept on the phone but arrived at work within 10 minutes after the call.
Exceptions
In the following idioms, the kanji「早い」is used even though the meanings are closer to 「速い」.
足が早い (あしがはやい)
“to rot quickly”
*「足が速い」simply indicates a fast running speed, but when this kanji is used, it indicates that food easily rots.
回復が早い (かいふくがはやい)
“to recover quickly from illness”
素早い (すばやい)
“quick”
飲み込みが早い (のみこみがはやい)
“to catch on first”; “to be a quick learner”
早口 (はやくち)
“speaking fast”
早い話が (はやいはなしが)
“to make a long story short”
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