Expressing earliness with "jiu"

Just as 才 can express lateness, 就 (jiù) can be used to indicate that something happened earlier than expected.

Structure

The pattern is as follows:

Subject + Time + 就 + Verb + Object

In English this might be expressed with "as early as", but usually it's not specifically marked.

Examples

• 我们 早上 九点 上课，可是 他 八点 就 来了。We have class at nine in the morning, but he came at eight.
• 她 十八 岁 就 大学 毕业 了。She graduated from college when she was only 18 years old.
• 我们 上次 出去 玩，他 九点 就 回去 了。The last time we went out, he had to go back at nine.
• 我 五 点 钟 就 到 了 饭馆，你 让 我 等 这么 久，罚 你 请客！I got to the restaurant at 5 o'clock. You made me wait for so long, so you need to pay the check.

From the example sentences it is clear that 了 naturally occurs with a verb used after 就. This is because verbs following 就 generally have the feeling of being completed.

See also

• Comparing "cai" and "jiu"
• Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"
• Expressing indifference with "jiu"
• Limiting Scope with "jiu"
• "If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (pp. 181-2) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 102-3) →buy

Websites

• East Asia Student: 就 and 才 in Mandarin: as early as, not until