Difference between revisions of "Emphasis with "jiushi""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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.
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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." In English we might say, "it's ''just'' not right!" This emphasis very often appears as 就是 in Chinese.
  
== 就是 Used as "is exactly" ==
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== Used as "Is Exactly" ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== 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".
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
就是 + Noun
 
就是 + Noun
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*那个 人 <em></em> 她 的 新 男朋友。<span class="pinyin">Nàge rén <em>jiù</em> shì tā de xīn nánpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">That guy is exactly her new boyfriend.</span>
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*那个 人 <em>就是</em> 她 的 新 男朋友。<span class="pinyin">Nàge rén <em>jiùshì</em> tā de xīn nánpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">That guy is her new boyfriend.</span>
*他 <em></em> 你 要 找 的 人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiù</em> shì nǐ yào zhǎo de rén.</span><span class="trans">He's exactly the person that you're looking for.</span>
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*他 <em>就是</em> 你 要 找 的 人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiùshì</em> nǐ yào zhǎo de rén.</span><span class="trans">He's just the person that you're looking for.</span>
*我们 <em></em> 他 的 家人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>jiù</em> shì tā de jiārén.</span><span class="trans">We're his family.</span>
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*我们 <em>就是</em> 他 的 家人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>jiùshì</em> tā de jiārén.</span><span class="trans">We're his family.</span>
*你 <em></em> 个 笨蛋!<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jiù</em> shì gè bèndàn!</span><span class="trans">You're exactly a moron! </span>
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*你 <em>就是</em> 个 笨蛋!<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jiùshì</em> gè bèndàn!</span><span class="trans">A moron is precisely what you are! </span>
*他 <em></em> 是 那 个 骗子!<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiù</em> shì nàge piànzi!</span><span class="trans">He's exactly that fraud! </span>
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*他 <em>就是</em> 那个 骗子!<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiùshì</em> nàge piànzi!</span><span class="trans">That con man is him! </span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 就是 Used as "only because" ==
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== 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.
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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. In many cases, you could also add in an 因为, but it's not required.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*他 不 去 旅游 <em>就是</em> 不 想 花钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā bù qù lǚyóu <em>jiùshì</em> bù xiǎng huāqián.</span> <span class="trans">He didn't travel only because he doesn't want to spend money.</span>
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*他 不 去 旅游 <em>就是</em> 不 想 花钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā bù qù lǚyóu <em>jiùshì</em> bù xiǎng huāqián.</span> <span class="trans">He didn't travel only because he doesn't want to spend the money.</span>
*你 不 参加 <em>就是</em> 怕 输 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù cānjiā <em>jiùshì</em> pà shū ma?</span> <span class="trans">You don't attend this only because you're afraid of failure.</span>
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*你 不 参加 比赛 <em>就是</em> 怕 输 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù cānjiā bǐsài <em>jiùshì</em> pà shū ma?</span> <span class="trans">You're not entering the competition just because you're afraid of losing?</span>
*他 这样 说 <em>就是</em> 嫉妒 我 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā zhèyàng shuō <em>jiùshì</em> jídù wǒ.</span> <span class="trans">He said this only because he envies me.</span>
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*他 这样 说 <em>就是</em> 不 喜欢 我 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā zhèyàng shuō <em>jiùshì</em> bù xǐhuan wǒ.</span> <span class="trans">He said this only because he doesn't like me.</span>
*她 问 这么 多,<em>就是</em> 担心 你 。 <span class="trans">She asked so much only because she's worried about you.</span>
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*她 问 这么 多,<em>就是</em> 担心 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā wèn zhème duō, <em>jiùshì</em> dānxīn nǐ.</span><span class="trans">She asked so many questions only because she's worried about you.</span>
*她 <em>就是</em> 漂亮 ,没 别的 优势 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiùshì</em> piàoliang, méi biéde yōushì.</span><span class="trans">She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other advantage.</span>
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*她 <em>就是</em> 漂亮 ,没 别的 优势 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiùshì</em> piàoliang, méi biéde yōushì.</span><span class="trans">She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other strengths.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 就 Used with Other Verbs ==
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== Other Usage ==
  
When is followed by other verbs, 是 can be omitted. And it's also used in a negative form by putting 不 before the verb.
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In the examples above, 就 pairs exclusively with the verb 是. But can also come before other verbs, with similar emphatic effect. In these cases, it's also OK to use 就是 before the other verbs as well.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
就(是) + () + Verb
就(是)+ Verb
 
 
 
就(是)+ 不 + Verb
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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*我 <em>就是</em> 喜欢 他。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù shì</em>  xǐhuan tā.</span><span class="trans">I just like him.</span>
 
*我 <em>就是</em> 喜欢 他。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù shì</em>  xǐhuan tā.</span><span class="trans">I just like him.</span>
 
*我 <em>就</em> 不 告诉 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù</em> bù gàosu nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm just not going to tell you.</span>
 
*我 <em>就</em> 不 告诉 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiù</em> bù gàosu nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm just not going to tell you.</span>
*我 父母 <em>就是</em> 不 让 我 一个人 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ fùmǔ <em>jiùshì</em> bù ràng wǒ yīgèrén qù.</span><span class="trans">My parents just won't let me go alone.</span>
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*我 父母 <em>就是</em> 不 让 我 一个人 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ fùmǔ <em>jiùshì</em> bù ràng wǒ yīgèrén qù.</span><span class="trans">My parents simply won't let me go alone.</span>
*这个 学生 <em>就是</em>不 听 老师 的 话 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xuéshēng <em>jiù</em> bù tīng lǎoshī de huà.</span><span class="trans">The student just wouldn't listen to his teacher.</span>
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*这个 学生 <em>就是</em>不 听 老师 的 话 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xuéshēng <em>jiùshì</em> bù tīng lǎoshī de huà.</span><span class="trans">The student just wouldn't listen to his teacher.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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As you may have noticed, many of these uses of 就 or 就是 carry a flippant, stubborn tone, referred to as 任性 (rènxìng) in Chinese.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
*[[现代汉语虚词例释]] (p. 316)[http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|现代汉语虚词例释|316}}
  
 
=== Dictionaries ===
 
=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (p. 733) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|现代汉语词典(第5版)|733}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|就|B1|就 (是) + Verb|我 父母 <em>就是</em> 不 让 我 一个人 去 。|grammar point|ASGY21RK}}
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
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{{Basic Grammar|就|B1|就是 + Verb|我 父母 <em>就是</em> 不 让 我 一个人 去 。|grammar point|ASGY21RK}}
 
{{Rel char|就是}}
 
{{Rel char|就是}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{Used for|Emphasizing}}
 
{{Used for|Emphasizing}}

Latest revision as of 08:53, 21 April 2021

Chinese-grammar-wiki-jiu.jpg

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." In English we might say, "it's just not right!" This emphasis very often appears as 就是 in Chinese.

Used as "Is Exactly"

Structure

就是 + Noun

Examples

  • 那个 人 就是 她 的 新 男朋友。Nàge rén jiùshì tā de xīn nánpéngyou.That guy is her new boyfriend.
  • 就是 你 要 找 的 人 。jiùshì nǐ yào zhǎo de rén.He's just the person that you're looking for.
  • 我们 就是 他 的 家人 。Wǒmen jiùshì tā de jiārén.We're his family.
  • 就是 个 笨蛋!jiùshì gè bèndàn!A moron is precisely what you are!
  • 就是 那个 骗子!jiùshì nàge piànzi!That con man is him!

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. In many cases, you could also add in an 因为, but it's not required.

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 the money.
  • 你 不 参加 比赛 就是 怕 输 吗 ? Nǐ bù cānjiā bǐsài jiùshì pà shū ma? You're not entering the competition just because you're afraid of losing?
  • 他 这样 说 就是 不 喜欢 我 。 Tā zhèyàng shuō jiùshì bù xǐhuan wǒ. He said this only because he doesn't like me.
  • 她 问 这么 多,就是 担心 你 。 Tā wèn zhème duō, jiùshì dānxīn nǐ.She asked so many questions only because she's worried about you.
  • 就是 漂亮 ,没 别的 优势 。 jiùshì piàoliang, méi biéde yōushì.She's just pretty; she doesn't have any other strengths.

Other Usage

In the examples above, 就 pairs exclusively with the verb 是. But 就 can also come before other verbs, with similar emphatic effect. In these cases, it's also OK to use 就是 before the other verbs as well.

Structure

就(是) + (不) + Verb

Examples

  • 要 去!jiù yào qù! I just want to go!
  • 就是 喜欢 他。jiù shì xǐhuan tā.I just like him.
  • 不 告诉 你 。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 simply won't let me go alone.
  • 这个 学生 就是不 听 老师 的 话 。Zhège xuéshēng jiùshì bù tīng lǎoshī de huà.The student just wouldn't listen to his teacher.

As you may have noticed, many of these uses of 就 or 就是 carry a flippant, stubborn tone, referred to as 任性 (rènxìng) in Chinese.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries