Expressing "as one likes" with "jiu"

When we want to express "to do something as one pleases," we can use the "想 verb 就 verb" form.

Basic Pattern

This structure is similar to how we would say in English "Whatever I want to eat, I eat" or "Wherever I want to go, I go." What comes after the 想 and 就 are the same verb.

Structure

想 + Verb (+ Obj.) + 就 + Verb (+ Obj.)

Examples

• 想 去 就 去 吧 ，不过 要 早点 回来 。Xiǎng qù jiù qù ba, bùguò yào zǎodiǎn huílái.Go if you want to. Just don't come back too late.
• 想 来 就 来 ，不用 预约 。Xiǎng lái jiù lái, bùyòng yùyuē.Come if you want to. You don't need to make an appoinment.
• 想 吃 就 吃 ，不用 问 我 。Xiǎng chī jiù chī, bùyòng wèn wǒ.If you want to eat, help yourself. You don't need to ask me.
• 别 害怕 ，想唱 就 大声 唱 。Bié hàipà, xiǎng chàng jiù dàshēng chàng.Don't be afraid. If you want to sing, sing loudly.
• 想 做 就 做 ，考虑 那么 多 干吗 ？Xiǎng zuò jiù zuò, kǎolǜ nàme duō gànmá?If you want to do it, do it. Why would you consider so much?

Advanced Pattern

You can also add in a question word, like 什么, 哪儿, or 怎么. When this is the case, the pronouns don't necessarily refer to any specific thing. They can be seen more as words like "whatever" or "wherever." This way, question pronouns (什么,谁,什么时候,etc) serve as "indefinite references."

Structure

想 + Question Word + 就 + Question Word

Examples

• 想 去 哪儿 就 去哪儿 。Xiǎng qù nǎr jiù qù nǎr.You can go wherever you like to go.
• 想 请 谁 就 请 谁 。Xiǎng qǐng shéi jiù qǐng shéi.You can invite whoever you like to invite.
• 想 什么 时候 来 就 什么 时候 来 。Xiǎng shénme shíhou lái jiù shénme shíhou lái.You can come whenever you like.
• 想 点 什么 就 点 什么 ，我 请客 。Xiǎng diǎn shénmejiù diǎn shénme, wǒ qǐngkè.You can order whatever you like. I'm buying.
• 这些 钱 我 想怎么 花 就 怎么 花 ，不 关 你 的 事 。Zhèxiē qián wǒ xiǎng zěnme huā jiù zěnme huā, bù guān nǐ de shì.I will spend the money however I like. It's none of your business.

See also

• 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…"
• Expressing "Anyway" as "fanzheng"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语虚词例释 (p. 305)→buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 272) →buy
• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 59, 104-5) →buy (Indefinite References)
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (p. 414)→buy (Indefinite References)

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 145) →buy