Difference between revisions of "Expressing earliness with "jiu""
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| + | *我 马上 <em>就</em> 来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ mǎshàng <em>jiù</em> lái.</span><span class="trans">I'll be there in a second.</span> | ||
| + | *他们 一会儿 <em>就</em> 到 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen yīhuìr <em>jiù</em> dào.</span><span class="trans">They will be here in a few minutes.</span> | ||
| + | *老板 明天 <em>就</em> 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn míngtiān <em>jiù</em> huílái.</span><span class="trans">The boss will be back by tomorrow.</span> | ||
*我 昨晚 八 点 半 <em>就</em> 睡觉 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuówǎn bā diǎn bàn <em>jiù</em> shuìjiào le.</span><span class="trans">I went to bed at half past eight last night.</span> | *我 昨晚 八 点 半 <em>就</em> 睡觉 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuówǎn bā diǎn bàn <em>jiù</em> shuìjiào le.</span><span class="trans">I went to bed at half past eight last night.</span> | ||
*我们 早上 九点 上课，可是 他 八点 <em>就</em> 来 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zǎoshang jiǔ diǎn shàngkè, kěshì tā bā diǎn <em>jiù</em> lái le.</span><span class="trans">We have class at nine in the morning, but he came at eight.</span> | *我们 早上 九点 上课，可是 他 八点 <em>就</em> 来 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zǎoshang jiǔ diǎn shàngkè, kěshì tā bā diǎn <em>jiù</em> lái le.</span><span class="trans">We have class at nine in the morning, but he came at eight.</span> | ||
*爷爷 每天 五点 <em>就</em> 起床 了。<span class="pinyin"> Yéye měitiān wǔdiǎn <em>jiù</em> qǐchuáng le.</span><span class="trans">Grandpa gets up at five o'clock every day.</span> | *爷爷 每天 五点 <em>就</em> 起床 了。<span class="pinyin"> Yéye měitiān wǔdiǎn <em>jiù</em> qǐchuáng le.</span><span class="trans">Grandpa gets up at five o'clock every day.</span> | ||
*她 十八 岁 <em>就</em> 大学 毕业 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā shíbā suì <em>jiù</em> dàxué bìyè le.</span><span class="trans">She graduated from college when she was only 18 years old.</span> | *她 十八 岁 <em>就</em> 大学 毕业 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā shíbā suì <em>jiù</em> dàxué bìyè le.</span><span class="trans">She graduated from college when she was only 18 years old.</span> | ||
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Revision as of 04:42, 28 July 2017
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
Just as 才 (cái) can express lateness, 就 (jiù) can be used to indicate that something happened earlier or sooner than expected. It can also be used in the near future to indicate something will happen very soon.
Contents
Structure
The pattern is as follows:
Subj. + Time Word + 就 + Verb
Subj. + Time Word + 就 + Verb + Obj. + 了
In English this might be expressed with "as early as," but usually it's not specifically marked.
Examples
- 我 马上 就 来 。I'll be there in a second.
- 他们 一会儿 就 到 。They will be here in a few minutes.
- 老板 明天 就 回来 。The boss will be back by tomorrow.
- 我 昨晚 八 点 半 就 睡觉 了 。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。We have class at nine in the morning, but he came at eight.
- 爷爷 每天 五点 就 起床 了。Grandpa gets up at five o'clock every day.
- 她 十八 岁 就 大学 毕业 了。She graduated from college when she was only 18 years old.
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.
Usage of 早就
早就 means "long ago." It comes before the verb.
- 我 早就 知道 了！I knew it long time ago!
- 她 早就 结婚 了。She got married long time ago.
- 我们 早就 毕业 了。We graduated long time ago!
- 我 早就 跟 你 说 过，他 不 是 好人。I told you long time ago that he's not a good guy.
- 这 家 店 早就 关门 了。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
