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, similar to "just," like how we sometimes say in English "it's ''just'' not right!" This emphasis very 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.
  
 
== Used as "Is Exactly" ==
 
== Used as "Is Exactly" ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*那个 人 <em>就 是</em> 她 的 新 男朋友。<span class="pinyin">Nàge rén <em>jiù shì</em> tā de xīn nánpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">That guy is 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>就 是</em> 你 要 找 的 人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiù shì</em> nǐ yào zhǎo de rén.</span><span class="trans">He's just 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>就 是</em> 他 的 家人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>jiù shì</em> 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>就 是</em> 个 笨蛋!<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jiù shì</em> gè bèndàn!</span><span class="trans">A moron is precisely what you are! </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>就 是</em> 那 个 骗子!<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiù shì</em> nàge piànzi!</span><span class="trans">That conman is him! </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>
  
== 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. In many cases, you could also add in an 因为, but it's not required.
 
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.
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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>
 
*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 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 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 many questions 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 strengths.</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 strengths.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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*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 simply won't let me go alone.</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 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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=== 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