'Speed sketch' or 'quick sketch', 速描 refers to a rapid, spontaneous drawing made in a short time—often just seconds or minutes—to capture the essential form, movement, or gesture of a subject. The first character 速 (sù) means 'speed' or 'swift', and the second 描 (miáo) means 'to sketch', 'to outline', or 'to depict'. Together, they emphasize brevity and immediacy over detail or finish.

This term is commonly used in art education, life drawing classes, and field observation—especially when sketching live subjects like animals that move unpredictably. Artists use 速描 to train hand-eye coordination, improve visual memory, and record fleeting impressions. It’s valued not for technical polish but for expressive accuracy and vitality. While often associated with sketching animals in motion (e.g., birds in flight or dogs running), it’s also applied to people, landscapes, or urban scenes—but its strongest cultural association remains with dynamic, living subjects.