就 (jiù) Flashcards

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1
Q

Expressing “then” with “jiu”

A

AS COULDN’T BE OTHERWISE, but in a no patronising way (We usually would say, then, just, so, all of it)

Usually, the first part of the sentence will set up a situation. Then the second part, with 就 (jiù) leading the way, indicates what should be done as a result.

…, 就 + Verb Phrase

Not always easy to translate, you could think of 就 (jiù) as meaning “just” or “then.”

你 喜欢 喝 奶茶,我们 就 买 奶茶 吧。Nǐ xǐhuan hē nǎichá, wǒmen jiù mǎi nǎichá ba. So you like milk tea. Then we’ll buy milk tea.

你 最 有 经验,就 听 你的 吧。Nǐ zuì yǒu jīngyàn, jiù tīng nǐ de ba. You have the most experience. We’ll just listen to you.

我 听到 这个 坏 消息,就 给 你 打 电话 了。Wǒ tīngdào zhège huài xiāoxi, jiù gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà le. As soon as I heard this bad news, I called you.

你 现在 身体 不 好,就 不 要 喝酒 了。Nǐ xiànzài shēntǐ bù hǎo, jiù bùyào hē jiǔ le. Your health isn’t good now. So just stop drinking.

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2
Q

Informal indeed

A

就是

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3
Q

Used as “Only Because”

A

就是 can be used to intensify the predicate to mean “only (because of) that and nothing else.” In this case, 是 can’t be omitted. In many cases, you could also add in an 因为, but it’s not required.

他 不 去 旅游 就是 不 想 花钱 。
Tā bù qù lǚyóu jiùshì bù xiǎng huāqián.
He didn’t travel only because he doesn’t want to spend the money.

你 不 参加 比赛 就是 怕 输 吗 ?
Nǐ bù cānjiā bǐsài jiùshì pà shū ma?
You’re not entering the competition just because you’re afraid of losing?

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4
Q

Emphasis on an action (Vibe)

A

In the examples above, 就 pairs exclusively with the verb 是. But 就 can also come before other verbs, with similar emphatic effect. In these cases, it’s also OK to use 就是 before the other verbs as well.

Structure
就(是) + (不) + Verb

我 就 不 告诉 你 。
Wǒ jiù bù gàosu nǐ.
I’m just not going to tell you.
我 父母 就是 不 让 我 一个人 去 。
Wǒ fùmǔ jiùshì bù ràng wǒ yīgèrén qù.
My parents simply won’t let me go alone.

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5
Q

Used as “As Soon As”

A

一 + Event 1,就 + Event 2

If the subjects are the same, then you don’t need to repeat the subject for the second one.

饿 死了,我 一 下课 就 要 去 吃 午饭 。
È sǐ le, wǒ yī xiàkè jiù yào qù chī wǔfàn.
I’m starving. I’m going to have lunch as soon as class is over.

老师 一 来 大家 就 不 说话 了。
Lǎoshī yī lái dàjiā jiù bù shuōhuà le.
As soon as the teacher came, everyone stopped talking.

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6
Q

Used as “Every Time”

A

一 + Reason,就 + Result

她 一 生气 就 脸红 。
Tā yī shēngqì jiù liǎn hóng.
Every time she gets angry, her face turns red.

你 怎么 一 吃 火锅 就 拉肚子 ?
Nǐ zěnme yī chī huǒguō jiù lādùzi?
How come you get diarrhea every time you eat hotpot?

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7
Q

About to

A

就要 (jiùyào) is similar to 快要 (kuàiyào), meaning “about to.” They are interchangeable

(Subj. +) 就要 + Verb + 了 (,⋯⋯)

Examples

就 要 下雨 了 。Jiù yào xiàyǔ le. It’s about to rain.
他们 就 要 结婚 了 。Tāmen jiù yào jiéhūn le. They are about to get married.

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8
Q

Used as “Right Away” (in the Future)

A

When something happens “right away,” you’re talking about “very soon” in the future.

Structure:
The pattern is as follows:
Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb

Examples:
- 我 马上 就 来 。Wǒ mǎshàng jiù lái. I’ll be there in a second.
- 米饭 二十 分钟 就 好 。Mǐfàn èrshí fēnzhōng jiù hǎo.
The rice will be ready in 20 minutes.

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9
Q

“as early as,”

A

This use of 就 might be translated “as early as,” but usually the earliness is not specifically marked in English.

Subj. + [Point in Time] + 就 + Verb + 了

Examples
我们 九点 上课 ,他 八点 就 来 了 。
Wǒmen jiǔ diǎn shàngkè, tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.
We have class at nine, but he came in at eight.

她 十八 岁 就 大学 毕业 了 。
Tā shíbā suì jiù dàxué bìyè le.
She graduated from college when she was only 18 years old.

Not only can 就 emphasize a “point in time,” but it can also emphasize a “time period,” indicating that something happened very quickly.

Subj. + Time Period + 就 + Verb + 了

A few examples:

你 一 个 晚上 就 看 完 了 ?
Nǐ yī gè wǎnshang jiù kàn wán le?
It only took you just one night to finish reading it?

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