X 就是 Y
Reach for this when you want to define a term inline — 'X is just Y, plain and simple.' 邮轮就是很大很大的船. (A cruise ship is just a very big ship.) Use it to gloss a word the listener might not know, paraphrase a concept in simpler language, or restate something for emphasis. Teachers, journalists, and parents lean on this pattern constantly when introducing new vocabulary.
Structure
[TERM] 就是 [SIMPLER EXPLANATION]
[TERM] jiùshì [EXPLANATION]
How to Think About It
就是 is an equals sign with attitude. Bare 是 just says 'A is B' neutrally. 就是 adds 'precisely, nothing more.' That's why it's the teaching pattern: it closes the door on any complication and says 'this term equals this simpler thing, end of story.' Once you hear 就是 in conversation, expect a definition or a flat clarification to follow.
Examples
邮轮就是很大很大的船。
Yóulún jiùshì hěn dà hěn dà de chuán.
A cruise ship is just a very big boat.
搞笑就是让人笑。
Gǎoxiào jiùshì ràng rén xiào.
'搞笑' just means making people laugh.
病毒就是看不见的小东西。
Bìngdú jiùshì kàn bú jiàn de xiǎo dōngxi.
A virus is just a tiny thing you can't see.
Common Mistake
Learners use 就是 to mean 'it is also' or 'it's exactly that.' But the defining 就是 only works when X is a TERM/CONCEPT being equated with a Y EXPLANATION. Using it as an emphatic 'yes' tag is a different (correct) use — but using it where you mean 'and also' is wrong.
我喜欢咖啡, 就是茶。
我喜欢咖啡, 也喜欢茶。
Don't Confuse With
X 是 Y
是 alone identifies or describes ('He is a doctor'). 就是 emphasizes equivalence and is used to DEFINE or paraphrase ('A doctor is just someone who treats sick people'). If you're not glossing a term, plain 是 is enough.
也就是说
也就是说 ('that is to say') restates a whole sentence in formal/expository register. X 就是 Y defines a single term inline. Use 就是 inside a sentence; 也就是说 to start a new clarifying sentence.
意思是
意思是 = 'the meaning is...' — more explicit, used when you're translating or interpreting. '"染上"的意思是"开始喜欢"' feels textbook-like; '"染上"就是"开始喜欢"' feels conversational. Same job, different register.
Practice
公司 ___ 很多人一起工作的地方。
Show answer
就是
电的车 ___ 不用油的车。
Show answer
就是
Put in order: [就是 / 很冷 / 地球 / 的 / 南极 / 最 / 地方]
Show answer
南极就是地球最冷的地方。
Translate to Chinese: 'A doctor is just someone who treats sick people.'
Show answer
医生就是给病人看病的人。
Define a Chinese word you learned recently using X 就是 Y.
Show answer
Example answer: 'AI' 就是人工智能, 让电脑像人一样思考。 (AI is artificial intelligence — making computers think like people.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 13 Fluentide episodes: