Difference between revisions of "Emphasis with "jiushi""
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{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| − | As an adverb, 就 (jiù) can be placed before the predicate to add emphasis. It often has an intense or provocative feel to it, similar to "just," like how we sometimes say in English "it's ''just'' not right!" | + | As an adverb, 就 (jiù) can be placed before the predicate to add emphasis. It often has an intense or provocative feel to it, similar to "just," like how we sometimes say in English "it's ''just'' not right!" This emphasis very often appears as 就是. |
== 就是 Used as "is exactly" == | == 就是 Used as "is exactly" == | ||
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=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
| − | + | 就 frequently comes before the verb 是, and "就是" means "(is) exactly". | |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *那个 人 <em>就</em> | + | *那个 人 <em>就 是</em> 她 的 新 男朋友。<span class="pinyin">Nàge rén <em>jiù shì</em> tā de xīn nánpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">That guy is her new boyfriend.</span> |
| − | *他 <em>就</em> | + | *他 <em>就 是</em> 你 要 找 的 人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiù shì</em> nǐ yào zhǎo de rén.</span><span class="trans">He's just the person that you're looking for.</span> |
| − | *我们 <em>就</em> | + | *我们 <em>就 是</em> 他 的 家人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>jiù shì</em> tā de jiārén.</span><span class="trans">We're his family.</span> |
| − | *你 <em>就</em> | + | *你 <em>就 是</em> 个 笨蛋！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jiù shì</em> gè bèndàn!</span><span class="trans">A moron is precisely what you are! </span> |
| − | *他 <em>就</em> | + | *他 <em>就 是</em> 那 个 骗子！<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiù shì</em> nàge piànzi!</span><span class="trans">That conman is him! </span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == 就是 | + | == 就是 as "Only Because" == |
| − | 就是 can be used to intensify the predicate to mean "only (because of) that and nothing else." In this case, 是 can't be omitted. | + | 就是 can be used to intensify the predicate to mean "only (because of) that and nothing else." In this case, 是 can't be omitted. In many cases, you could also add in an 因为, but it's not required. |
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *他 不 去 旅游 <em>就是</em> 不 想 花钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā bù qù lǚyóu <em>jiùshì</em> bù xiǎng huāqián.</span> <span class="trans">He didn't travel only because he doesn't want to spend money.</span> | + | *他 不 去 旅游 <em>就是</em> 不 想 花钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā bù qù lǚyóu <em>jiùshì</em> bù xiǎng huāqián.</span> <span class="trans">He didn't travel only because he doesn't want to spend the money.</span> |
| − | *你 不 参加 <em>就是</em> 怕 输 吗 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù cānjiā <em>jiùshì</em> pà shū ma?</span> <span class="trans">You | + | *你 不 参加 比赛 <em>就是</em> 怕 输 吗 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù cānjiā bǐsài <em>jiùshì</em> pà shū ma?</span> <span class="trans">You're not entering the competition just because you're afraid of failure?</span> |
*他 这样 说 <em>就是</em> 嫉妒 我 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā zhèyàng shuō <em>jiùshì</em> jídù wǒ.</span> <span class="trans">He said this only because he envies me.</span> | *他 这样 说 <em>就是</em> 嫉妒 我 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā zhèyàng shuō <em>jiùshì</em> jídù wǒ.</span> <span class="trans">He said this only because he envies me.</span> | ||
| − | *她 问 这么 多，<em>就是</em> 担心 你 。 <span class="trans">She asked so | + | *她 问 这么 多，<em>就是</em> 担心 你 。 <span class="trans">She asked so many questions only because she's worried about you.</span> |
| − | *她 <em>就是</em> 漂亮 ，没 别的 优势 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiùshì</em> piàoliang, méi biéde yōushì.</span><span class="trans">She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other | + | *她 <em>就是</em> 漂亮 ，没 别的 优势 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiùshì</em> piàoliang, méi biéde yōushì.</span><span class="trans">She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other strengths.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
== 就 Used with Other Verbs == | == 就 Used with Other Verbs == | ||
| − | + | In the examples above, 就 pairs exclusively with the verb 是. But 就 can also come before other verbs, with similar emphatic effect. In these cases, it's also OK to use 就是 before the other verbs as well. | |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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*我 <em>就是</em> 喜欢 他。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù shì</em> xǐhuan tā.</span><span class="trans">I just like him.</span> | *我 <em>就是</em> 喜欢 他。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù shì</em> xǐhuan tā.</span><span class="trans">I just like him.</span> | ||
*我 <em>就</em> 不 告诉 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù</em> bù gàosu nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm just not going to tell you.</span> | *我 <em>就</em> 不 告诉 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù</em> bù gàosu nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm just not going to tell you.</span> | ||
| − | *我 父母 <em>就是</em> 不 让 我 一个人 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ fùmǔ <em>jiùshì</em> bù ràng wǒ yīgèrén qù.</span><span class="trans">My parents | + | *我 父母 <em>就是</em> 不 让 我 一个人 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ fùmǔ <em>jiùshì</em> bù ràng wǒ yīgèrén qù.</span><span class="trans">My parents simply won't let me go alone.</span> |
*这个 学生 <em>就是</em>不 听 老师 的 话 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xuéshēng <em>jiù</em> bù tīng lǎoshī de huà.</span><span class="trans">The student just wouldn't listen to his teacher.</span> | *这个 学生 <em>就是</em>不 听 老师 的 话 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xuéshēng <em>jiù</em> bù tīng lǎoshī de huà.</span><span class="trans">The student just wouldn't listen to his teacher.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | As you may have noticed, many of these uses of 就 or 就是 carry a flippant, stubborn tone, referred to as 任性 (rènxìng) in Chinese. | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 10:02, 1 August 2017
As an adverb, 就 (jiù) can be placed before the predicate to add emphasis. It often has an intense or provocative feel to it, similar to "just," like how we sometimes say in English "it's just not right!" This emphasis very often appears as 就是.
Contents
就是 Used as "is exactly"
Structure
就 frequently comes before the verb 是, and "就是" means "(is) exactly".
就是 + Noun
Examples
- 那个 人 就 是 她 的 新 男朋友。That guy is her new boyfriend.
- 他 就 是 你 要 找 的 人 。He's just the person that you're looking for.
- 我们 就 是 他 的 家人 。We're his family.
- 你 就 是 个 笨蛋！A moron is precisely what you are!
- 他 就 是 那 个 骗子！That conman is him!
就是 as "Only Because"
就是 can be used to intensify the predicate to mean "only (because of) that and nothing else." In this case, 是 can't be omitted. In many cases, you could also add in an 因为, but it's not required.
Examples
- 他 不 去 旅游 就是 不 想 花钱 。 He didn't travel only because he doesn't want to spend the money.
- 你 不 参加 比赛 就是 怕 输 吗 ？ You're not entering the competition just because you're afraid of failure?
- 他 这样 说 就是 嫉妒 我 。 He said this only because he envies me.
- 她 问 这么 多，就是 担心 你 。 She asked so many questions only because she's worried about you.
- 她 就是 漂亮 ，没 别的 优势 。 She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other strengths.
就 Used with Other Verbs
In the examples above, 就 pairs exclusively with the verb 是. But 就 can also come before other verbs, with similar emphatic effect. In these cases, it's also OK to use 就是 before the other verbs as well.
Structure
就（是）+ Verb
就（是）+ 不 + Verb
Examples
- 我 就 要 去！I just want to go!
- 我 就是 喜欢 他。I just like him.
- 我 就 不 告诉 你 。I'm just not going to tell you.
- 我 父母 就是 不 让 我 一个人 去 。 My parents simply won't let me go alone.
- 这个 学生 就是不 听 老师 的 话 。The student just wouldn't listen to his teacher.
As you may have noticed, many of these uses of 就 or 就是 carry a flippant, stubborn tone, referred to as 任性 (rènxìng) in Chinese.
See also
- "Just" with "jiu"
- Comparing "cai" and "jiu"
- Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"
- Expressing earliness with "jiu"
- Expressing indifference with "jiu"
- Limiting scope with "jiu"
- "If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"
Sources and further reading
Books
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 733) →buy
