Expressing earliness with "jiu"

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

Structure

The pattern is as follows:

Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + Obj.

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

Examples

• 我 昨晚 八 点 半 就 睡觉 了！Wǒ zuówǎn bā diǎn bàn jiù shuìjiào le.I went to bed at half past eight last night.
• 我们 早上 九点 上课，可是 他 八点 就 来 了。Wǒmen zǎoshang jiǔ diǎn shàngkè, kěshì tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.We have class at nine in the morning, but he came at eight.
• 爷爷 每天 五点 就 起床 了。 Yéye měitiān wǔdiǎn jiù qǐchuáng le.Grandpa gets up at five o'clock every day.
• 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.
• 我 奶奶 五十 多 岁 就 去世 了。Wǒ nǎinai wǔshí duō suì jiù qùshì le. Grandma passed away in her fifties.

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.

Special Usage of 早就

早就 means "long ago." It comes before the verb.

• 我 早就 知道 了！Wǒ zǎo jiù zhīdào le!I knew it long time ago!
• 她 早就 结婚 了。Tā zǎo jiù jiéhūn le.She got married long time ago.
• 我们 早就 毕业 了。Wǒmen zǎo jiù bìyè le.We graduated long time ago!
• 我 早就 跟 你 说 过，他 不 是 好人。Wǒ zǎo jiù gēn nǐ shuō guo, tā bù shì hǎo rén.I told you long time ago that he's not a good guy.
• 这 家 店 早就 关门 了。Zhè jiā diàn zǎo jiù guānmén le.This shop was closed down long time ago.

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
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 239)→buy

Websites

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