The adverb 就 transcribed jiù is used to express emphasis and has several translations: really, exactly, precisely, only are just a few of them.Next time you’re chatting with a friend, see how long you speak before the words “just” or “really” are spoken. Probably it won’t be more than a minute. In Mandarin Chinese, the equivalent character 就 transcribed jiù is just as common. Fortunately, it’s really easy to use and you will use it a lot in daily Mandarin. If you want to speak like a pro, here you go! Let’s take a look!
How to use 就 (jiù) to emphasize “truly / really / exactly / precisely” in Mandarin Chinese?
The adverb 就 transcribed jiù is used before the verb to emphasize the part of the sentence that follows the verb. When spoken, 就 transcribed jiù is stressedl. Here is the sentence pattern:
↳ This emphasis is used when you’re surprised to encounter Teacher Lin or when your interlocutor is doubtful that the person referenced really is Teacher Lin. Note that 就是 is spoken with the same kind of emphasis as “really is” has in the corresponding English sentence.
Please note that the adverb 就 transcribed jiù can be omitted in the sentences above in the same way that you can omit “really” from the sentence “I really don’t want to watch a movie.” If 就 transcribed jiù is omitted, these sentences lose the emphasis expressed by “really/exactly/precisely.”
Let’s look at more examples:
| Sentences with 就 transcribed jiù to emphasize | Sentences without 就 transcribed jiù |
|---|---|
他就是新来的学生。 Transcription: Tā jiù shì xīnlái de xuésheng. Translation: He really is the new student (in class / in school). Used to emphasize that the person indicated and not another is the new student. | 他是新来的学生。 Transcription: Tā shì xīnlái de xuésheng. Translation: He is a new student (in class / in school). |
我哥哥就不想去动物园。 Transcription: Wǒ gēge jiù bù xiǎng qù dòngwù yuán. Translation: My older brother absolutely doesn’t want to go to the zoo. | 我哥哥不想去动物园。 Transcription: Wǒ gēge jiù bù xiǎng qù dòngwù yuán. Translation: My older brother doesn’t want to go to the zoo. |
How to use 就 (jiù) to emphasize certainty about a specified time in Mandarin Chinese?
The adverb 就 transcribed jiù is used with a time phrase (usually referring to a short period of time) before the verb to emphasize that the action will happen or take place in the stated time frame. It carries the meaning of “immediately / at once.” The sentence pattern is:
How to use 就 (jiù) to emphasize the meaning of “only” in Mandarin Chinese?
The adverb 就 transcribed jiù is used before a verb to emphasize the meaning of “only” (只 transcribed zhǐ). In this sentence pattern, 就 transcribed jiù is interchangeable with 只 transcribed zhǐmeaning only. A numeral-measure phrase (number + measure word + noun) always follows. The sentence pattern is:
How to use 就 (jiù) in fixed sentence patterns for emphasis in Mandarin Chinese?
The adverb 就 transcribed jiù can also be used for emphasis in fixed sentence patterns to mean “be about to” and “so be it/that’s it.” Let’s take a look.
How to use 就 (jiù) to express “be about to”?
Expressing the idea of to “be about to” do something in the immediate future is such a common and frequent use of language in Mandarin that it has its own post. So, please check out our post on expressing “be about to” with 就 transcribed jiù!
How to use 就这样吧 (jiù zhèyàng ba) to express “so be it/that’s it”?
The phrase 就这样吧 transcribed jiù zhèyàng ba can be used in the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence to emphasize that nothing can be done to change the situation for now or to emphasize that that’s it and nothing more. It is roughly equivalent to the fixed English phrase “it’s it and that’s that” (or simply “that’s that”). Let’s look at these examples:
How to use 就 (jiù) in a complex sentence for emphasis in Mandarin Chinese?
Complex sentences are sentences that have a dependent and an independent clause. For example: “If it rains, we won’t go to the park.” The first clause (“if it rains”) is the dependent clause, because it is not a complete thought by itself, i.e. if it rains, what? This dependent clause depends on the independent clause (“we won’t go to the park”) to function in the sentence.
Consider complex sentences beginning with these dependent clauses:
As long as you’re going to the grocery store,
If you’re bored,
In order to get there on time,
Since you think you’re so tough,
You can surely imagine how each of these sentences might conclude. In Mandarin Chinese, the independent clause that would conclude these sentences would contain the adverb 就 transcribed jiù. Its function in the sentence is to emphasize the action that satisfies the condition or purpose named in the first clause.
This kind of clause always begins with words like 如果 transcribed rúguǒmeaning if, 只要 transcribed zhǐyàomeaning as long as, 既然 transcribed jìránmeaning since, or 为了 transcribed wèi lemeaning in order to in the first clause. Let's look at the full sentence pattern:
| First clause | Second clause with 就 transcribed jiù |
|---|---|
如果 transcribed rúguǒmeaning if + subject + verb + (object) | (subject) + 就 transcribed jiù + verb + (object) |
只要 transcribed zhǐyàomeaning as long as + subject + verb + (object) | (subject) + 就 transcribed jiù + verb + (object) |
既然 transcribed jìránmeaning since + subject + verb + (object) | (subject) + 就 transcribed jiù + verb + (object) |
为了 transcribed wèi lemeaning in order to + subject + verb + (object) | (subject) + 就 transcribed jiù + verb + (object) |
To sum up
In this post we discussed how 就 transcribed jiù is used:
to mean “really,” “exactly,” “precisely,” and other words that add emphasis
to make time more precise
to mean “only”
to express “be about to”
to emphasize that nothing can be done (that’s that)
with complex condition or purpose sentences
“就” 就是个很有用的字! transcribed jiù jiù shì ge hěn yǒu yòng de zimeaning 就 (jiù) is a really usefful character!, and it's really easy to use, so learn it!
就这样吧! transcribed jiù zhèyàng bameaning That's all! Don’t forget to try these exercises to practice your understanding of the adverb 就 transcribed jiù.
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