快
kuài
A fast walker and a sharp knife are both 快
The picture The same distance covered in less time than it used to take. 快 covers the distance in less time; 慢 draws the same distance out.
Where the picture shows up in 快
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a walk takes less time
你走得太快了，我跟不上。
nǐ zǒu de tài kuài le, wǒ gēn bu shàng.
You walk too fast — I can't keep up.
One back pulling away while the person behind breaks into half-steps of running
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hurrying someone else
快一点，车要开了。
kuài yì diǎn, chē yào kāi le.
Hurry up, the bus is about to leave.
A hand waving from the bus door as the door slides halfway shut
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learning takes less time
他学得很快，一天就会了。
tā xué de hěn kuài, yì tiān jiù huì le.
He learns fast — he had it in a day.
A machine handled yesterday for the first time, worked today without looking
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the time left shrinks
快到了，再等五分钟。
kuài dào le, zài děng wǔ fēn zhōng.
Almost there — five more minutes.
A dot on a map sitting almost on top of the destination pin
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a blade takes less time
这把刀很快，小心手。
zhè bǎ dāo hěn kuài, xiǎo xīn shǒu.
This knife is sharp — watch your hand.
A blade touching a tomato and the halves falling open at once
All of it in one picture
快 is less time spent getting through. Cut the time off a walk and no one can keep up; cut it off someone else and you're telling them to hurry; cut it off learning and it's picked up in a day; cut it off the distance left and you're nearly there; cut it off a blade's passage and the knife is sharp.