Difference between revisions of "Adding emphasis with "jiushi""

Revision as of 07:01, 12 January 2012

就是 (jiùshì) can be used to add many different types of emphasis.

It can be used in the following ways:

To intensify adjectives

就是 can be used to modify an adjective to mean "really", or "really that and nothing else".

For example:

他就是聪明，考试总是第一名。
我真的什么都没做，他就是对我有偏见。

To express resoluteness

Used before a verb, this usage has the feeling that the speaker is being stubborn and is unwilling to change their mind.

我老公就是爱抽烟，他根本戒不了!
我就是不去，我一向都不爱去酒吧。
他就是不相信星座，你怎么跟他解释也没用。

To limit the scope of verbs and adjectives

就是 can be used before verbs and adjectives to emphasize to limit the scope of what the speaker is talking about, eliminating other options. This is a bit like "only", or "just" in English. This is quite similar to the first usage.

Some examples:

警察，你看你看，就是他，你快点去抓！(Emphasizing that the thief is him and no one else)
所有的人都准时到了，就是小杨迟到了。 (Emphasizing that only 小杨 was late, everyone else was on time)
我对别人没有什么印象，就是对你印象深刻。(Emphasizing that it was only you which made an impression on me)

Sources and further reading

Books

New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 163) →buy

Websites

http://baike.baidu.com/view/546642.htm http://www.nciku.com/search/zh/detail/%E5%B0%B1%E6%98%AF/1308257

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 * 警察，你 看 你 看，<em>就是</em> 他，你 快 点 去 抓！<span class="expl">(Emphasizing that the thief is him and no one else)
 * 所有 的 人 都 准时 到 了，<em>就是</em> 小 杨 迟到  了。<span class="expl"> (Emphasizing that only 小杨 was late, everyone else was on time)
-* 我 对 别 人 没有 什么 印象，<em>就是</em> 对 你 印象 深刻。<span class="expl">(Emphasizing that it was only you which made an impression on me)</span>
+* 我 对 别 人 没有 什么 印象，<em>就是</em> 对 你 印象 深刻。<span class="expl">(Emphasizing that it was only you which made an impression on me)
 </div>
 == See also ==
 *[[Emphasizing the Doer of an Action with "you"]]