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HSK 2

就

then; just; precisely

adverbneutral
就
jiù4th tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
jiù
Part of speech
adverb
Level
HSK 2
Strokes
12
Register
neutral

Stroke order for 就

就 is written with 12 strokes. The animation replays automatically.

What does 就 mean?

就 (jiù) is one of the most overworked adverbs in Mandarin — small word, many jobs.

Core uses: (1) 'right away / soon / already' for time — 我马上就来 ('I'll come right away'), 他八点就到了 ('he arrived at eight already'); (2) 'then' linking a condition to a result — 你不去我就不去 ('if you don't go, then I won't go'); (3) 'precisely / exactly / none other than' for emphasis — 这就是我家 ('this is exactly my house'), 我就喜欢你 ('it's you I like, no one else'); (4) 'just / only' to downplay quantity — 我就吃了一点 ('I just ate a little'). Position matters: 就 sits before the verb, after the subject.

Because it carries so many shades, learners often mistranslate it as one English word — but 就 is more about emphasis and connection than about a fixed meaning. Compare with 才 (cái), which usually expresses 'only then / not until,' the opposite-feeling sibling of 就.

Note: Extremely common in everyday speech. Multiple functions; tone of voice and surrounding context determine which meaning is active.

Example sentences

我马上就来。

Wǒ mǎshàng jiù lái.

I'll be right there.

spoken

这就是我的学校。

Zhè jiù shì wǒ de xuéxiào.

This is exactly my school.

neutral

他一回家就睡觉。

Tā yī huí jiā jiù shuìjiào.

As soon as he gets home, he sleeps.

neutral

我就喝一杯。

Wǒ jiù hē yì bēi.

I'll just have one cup.

spoken

你不说我就不知道。

Nǐ bù shuō wǒ jiù bù zhīdào.

If you don't tell me, then I won't know.

spoken

Common phrases with 就

就是jiùshìexactly; that's right; precisely
就要jiùyàoabout to; will soon
马上就mǎshàng jiùright away; immediately
一…就…yī... jiù...as soon as... then... (pattern)
本来就běnlái jiùwas already; originally

Synonyms

才cái

才 means 'only then / not until' — late or barely. 就 implies fast/early; 才 implies slow/late. 他八点就来了 ('he arrived as early as 8') vs 他八点才来 ('he didn't arrive until 8').

马上mǎshàng

马上 means 'right away / immediately' as a time word. 就 can express the same nuance but is more abstract — often paired together: 马上就到 ('arriving any second').

Don't confuse 就 with

就是jiùshì

就是 is a fixed expression meaning 'exactly / it's just that.' 就 alone is the adverb. 就是 often opens a sentence to confirm or to introduce a small caveat — 就是有点贵 ('it's just a little expensive').

都dōu

都 means 'all / both' or, with time words, 'already.' Beginners sometimes mix 就 and 都 when expressing 'already' — but 都 emphasizes a surprising amount, 就 emphasizes earliness.

才cái

Pair-word with opposite feel. Memorize 就 = early/fast, 才 = late/slow. 他五点就走了 ('he left as early as 5') vs 他五点才走 ('he didn't leave until 5').

FAQ

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