Expressing "just" with "gang"

When something recently happened, or in the immediate past, in English we use the word "just." For example, if you pass a turn you were supposed to make, you might say, "Ugh, I was just there!" or "I just passed it!" In Chinese, "just" can be expressed with 刚 (gāng) or 刚刚 (gānggāng).

Expressing "just" happened

Structure

刚 (gāng) expresses an action that happened not long ago. 刚刚 (gānggāng) is used the same way, with the same meaning.

Subj. + 刚 + Verb

or

Subj. + 刚刚 + Verb

Examples

• 我们 刚 知道。 Wǒmen gāng zhīdao. We just found out.
• 她们 刚 走。Tāmen gāng zǒu. They just left.
• 我 刚 吃 完 饭。Wǒ gāng chī wán fàn. I just finished eating.
• 老板 刚 出去。 Lǎobǎn gāng chūqù. The boss just went out.
• 妈妈 刚 到 家。 Māma gāng dào jiā. Mom just got home.

"Just" happened, with a specific time period

Structure

刚 (gāng) can also express "from the time an action happens until the present time".

Subj. + 刚 + VO + Duration

Note that although we need to say "ago" in English, in this pattern there's no need for a word that means "ago."

Examples

• 我 刚 到 这里 五 分钟 。 Wǒ gāng dào zhèlǐ wǔ fēnzhōng. I just got here five minutes ago.
• 我 刚 来 中国 半 年 。 Wǒ gāng lái Zhōngguó bàn nián. I just got to China six months ago.
• 我 刚 学 中文 两 个 星期 。 Wǒ gāng xué Zhōngwén liǎng gè xīngqī. I just started studying Chinese two weeks ago.
• 他 刚 走 十 分钟 。 Tā gāng zǒu shí fēnzhōng. He just left ten minutes ago.
• 我们 刚 认识 一 个 月 。 Wǒmen gāng rènshi yī gè yuè. We just met each other a month ago.
• 小心 点 ， 这 个 电脑 刚 买 两 天 。 Xiǎoxīn diǎn, zhè ge diànnǎo gāng mǎi liǎng tiān. Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.
• 我 也 刚 知道 两 分钟 。 Wǒ yě gāng zhīdao liǎng fēnzhōng. I just found out two minutes ago.
• 他 刚 去 美国 一 个 星期 。 Tā gāng qù Měiguó yī gè xīngqī. He just went to the U.S. a week ago.

See also

• "Just now" with "gangcai"
• Comparing "gang" and "gangcai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 216)→buy
• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (p. 239) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 81) →buy