Emphasis with "jiushi"

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!" It often appears as 就是.

就是 Used as "is exactly"

Structure

It's as simple as putting 就 in front of a verb. When 是 is used as the verb after 就，"是" can't be left out. "就是" means "is exactly".

就是 + Noun

Examples

• 那个 人 就 是 她 的 新 男朋友。Nàge rén jiù shì tā de xīn nánpéngyou.That guy is exactly her new boyfriend.
• 他 就 是 你 要 找 的 人 。Tā jiù shì nǐ yào zhǎo de rén.He's exactly the person that you're looking for.
• 我们 就 是 他 的 家人 。Wǒmen jiù shì tā de jiārén.We're his family.
• 你 就 是 个 笨蛋！Nǐ jiù shì gè bèndàn!You're exactly a moron!
• 他 就 是 那 个 骗子！Tā jiù shì nàge piànzi!He's exactly that fraud!

就是 Used 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.

Examples

• 他 不 去 旅游 就是 不 想 花钱 。 Tā bù qù lǚyóu jiùshì bù xiǎng huāqián. He didn't travel only because he doesn't want to spend money.
• 你 不 参加 就是 怕 输 吗 ？ Nǐ bù cānjiā jiùshì pà shū ma? You don't attend this only because you're afraid of failure.
• 他 这样 说 就是 嫉妒 我 。 Tā zhèyàng shuō jiùshì jídù wǒ. He said this only because he envies me.
• 她 问 这么 多，就是 担心 你 。 She asked so much only because she's worried about you.
• 她 就是 漂亮 ，没 别的 优势 。 Tā jiùshì piàoliang, méi biéde yōushì.She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other advantage.

就 Used with Other Verbs

"就"用在谓语前，表示说话人态度很坚决或者固执，有的语境下也带有任性的色彩。In this case, 是 can be omitted.

Structure

就（是）+ Verb

就（是）+ 不 + Verb

Examples

• 我 就 要 去！Wǒ jiù yào qù! I just want to go!
• 我 就是 喜欢 他。Wǒ jiù shì xǐhuan tā.I just like him.
• 我 就 不 告诉 你 。Wǒ jiù bù gàosu nǐ.I'm just not going to tell you.
• 我 父母 就是 不 让 我 一个人 去 。 Wǒ fùmǔ jiùshì bù ràng wǒ yīgèrén qù.My parents just won't let me go alone.
• 这个 学生 就是不 听 老师 的 话 。Zhège xuéshēng jiù bù tīng lǎoshī de huà.The student just wouldn't listen to his teacher.

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

• 现代汉语虚词例释 (p. 316)→buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 733) →buy