Expressing "even if…" with "jiushi"

就是 (jiùshì) is one of the many "even ifs." Like 即使 , 就算 and 哪怕 it is used to introduce a hypothetical statement, which can then disregarded with 也.

Structure

就是 + Hypothetical Statement + 也 + Action

Examples

• 就是 这 台 电脑 价格 上万，我 也 会 买。Jiùshì zhè tái diànnǎo jiàgé shàng wàn, wǒ yě huì mǎi.Even if this computer's price is over 10,000 yuan, I'm still going to buy it.
• 就是 降温 了，我 也 要 穿 热裤，时尚 嘛! Jiùshì jiàngwēn le, wǒ yě yào chuān rèkù, shíshàng ma!Even if the temperature is dropping, I'm still going to wear hot pants. They're fire!
• 就是 他 变成 一个 穷光蛋，我 也 愿意 跟 他 在 一起。Jiùshì tā biànchéng yī gè qióngguāngdàn, wǒ yě yuànyì gēn tā zài yīqǐ.Even if he were penniless, I would still be willing to be with him.
• 就是 以后 会 失败，我 也 想 尝试。Jiùshì yǐhòu huì shībài, wǒ yě xiǎng chángshì.Even if it it's going to fail, I want to give it a try.
• 就是 你 告诉 我 答案 了，我 也 不 想 作弊。Jiùshì nǐ gàosù wǒ dá'àn le, wǒ yě bù xiǎng zuòbì.Even if you told me the answers, I would not want to cheat.
• 就是 大家 都 同意 这个 方案，我 也 不会 同意 的。Jiùshì dàjiā dōu tóngyì zhège fāng'àn, wǒ yě bù huì tóngyì de.Even if everyone agrees to this plan, I still will not agree to it.
• 我 就是 被 炒鱿鱼 了 ，我 也 不 想 做 违法 的 事情。Wǒ Jiùshì bèi chǎoyóuyú le, wǒ yě bù xiǎng zuò wéifǎ de shìqíng.Even if I get fired, I still don't want to do anything illegal.
• 就是 你 买 了 车，我 也 不会 嫁给 你的。Jiùshì nǐ mǎi le chē, wǒ yě bù huì jià gěi nǐ de.Even if you buy a car, I still will not marry you.
• 就是 路上 没有 人，你 也 不 应该 闯 红灯。Jiùshì lùshàng méiyǒu rén, nǐ yě bù yīnggāi chuǎng hóngdēng.Even if there is no one on the road, you shouldn't run a red light.
• 就是 你 生 我的 气，我 也 要 告诉 他 这件事。Jiùshì nǐ shēng wǒ de qì, wǒ yě yào gàosù tā zhè jiàn shì.Even if it makes you angry with me, I still need to tell him about it.

Note that the clause used after 就是 must be hypothetical, otherwise 虽然 should be used:

• 现在 就是 是 高峰期，我 也 要 出去。Xiànzài jiùshì shì gāofēng qī, dàn wǒ yě yào chūqù.
• 现在 虽然 是 高峰期，但 我 也 要 出去。Xiànzài suīrán shì gāofēng qī, dàn wǒ yě yào chūqù.Although it's rush hour now, I'm still going out.

In the sentence above, the first part is the actual current situation, so it is incorrect to use 就是.

See also

• Expressing "even if…" with "jishi"
• Expressing "even if…" with "jiusuan"
• Expressing "even if…" with "napa"

Sources and further reading

Books

• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 153) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5