Expressing "as one likes" with "jiu"

When we want to express "to do something as one pleases," we can use the "想 (xiǎng) verb 就 (jiù) verb" pattern.

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." The verb that comes after the 想 and the 就 are the same verb.

Structure

想 + Verb + 就 + Verb

Examples

• 想 吃 就 吃 。Xiǎng chī jiù chī.If you want to eat, help yourself.
• 想 走 就 走 吧 。Xiǎng zǒu jiù zǒu ba. Leave if you want to.
• 想 买 就 买 ，不用 问 我 。Xiǎng mǎi jiù mǎi, bùyòng wèn wǒ.If you want to buy it, go ahead. You don't need to ask me.
• 别 害怕 ，想 说 就 说 。Bié hàipà, xiǎng shuō jiù shuō.Don't be afraid. If you want to say, say it.
• 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 do you need to think about it 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 anything specific. 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 + Verb + [Question Word] + 就 + Verb + [Question Word]

Examples

• 想 去 哪儿 就 去 哪儿 。Xiǎng qù nǎr jiù qù nǎr.You can go wherever you'd like to go.
• 想 请 谁 就 请 谁 。Xiǎng qǐng shéi jiù qǐng shéi.You can invite whoever you like.
• 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 shénme jiù 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 。Zhèxiē qián wǒ xiǎng zěnme huā jiù zěnme huā.I will spend this money however I like.

See also

• "If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"
• Expressing "Anyway" as "fanzheng"
• Conditions with "yao" and "jiu"
• Expressing indifference with "jiu"

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 3 (pp. 67) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• 现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 305) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 272) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 59, 104-5) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy (Indefinite References)
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 414) [ →buy] (Indefinite References)

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 145) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

:Yes