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, like how we sometimes say in English "it's just not right!," or other similar phrases. 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

• 你 就 是 个 笨蛋！Nǐ jiù shì gè bèndàn!You're exactly a moron!
• 他 就 是 个 骗子！Tā jiù shì gè piànzi!He's exactly a liar!
• 乔布斯 就 是 我 的 偶像！Qiáobùsī jiù shì wǒ de ǒuxiàng!Jobs is exactly my idol!

就是 Used to Mean "only because"

就是 can be used to intensify the predicate to mean "only (because of) that and nothing else."

Structure

就是 + predicate

• 她 就是 漂亮，没什么 别的 优势。She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other advantage.
• 他 不 去 旅游 就是 不 想 花钱 。He didn't travel only because he doesn't want to spend money.
• 你 不 参加 就是 怕 输 吗 ？You don't attend this only because you're afraid of failure.
• 他 这样 说 我 就是 对 嫉妒 我 。He talked about me like this only because he envies me.

就 Used with Other Verbs

When 就 is followed by other verbs, 是 can't be omitted. And it's also used in a negative form by putting 不 before the verb.

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