Expressing "as long as" with "zhiyao"

只要……就…… (zhǐyào... jiù...) means "as long as... then...." In other words, whenever A happens, B (always) results.

Structure

Use this structure to express that "as long as" [something happens], "then" [something else will happen]. In logic, this is referred to as a "sufficient condition," meaning that it may not be the only way to bring about the these specific consequences, but it is one reliable way.

只要 + Condition ,就 + Result

Examples

  • 只要 你 真的 喜欢, 我 给 你 买 。 Zhǐyào nǐ zhēnde xǐhuan, wǒ jiù gěi nǐ mǎi.As long as you really like it, I will buy it for you.
  • 只要 你 努力 学习, 会 有 进步 。 Zhǐyào nǐ nǔlì xuéxí, jiù huì yǒu jìnbù.As long as you study hard, you'll make progress.
  • 只要 有 你 在, 我 放心 了 。 Zhǐyào yǒu nǐ zài, wǒ jiù fàngxīn le.As long as you are here, I won't be worried.
  • 只要 下雨, 她 会 心情 不 好 。 Zhǐyào xiàyǔ, tā jiù huì xīnqíng bù hǎo.Whenever it rains, she will be in a bad mood.
  • 只要 看到 妈妈, 宝宝 不 哭 了 。 Zhǐyào kàndào māma, bǎobao jiù bù kū le.Whenever she sees her mother, the baby stops crying.
  • 只要 你 完成 了 工作, 可以 不 用 加班 。 Zhǐyào nǐ wánchéng le gōngzuò, jiù kěyǐ bùyòng jiābān.As long as you have finished your work, there is no need to do overtime.
  • 只要 你 妈妈 同意 你 去 北京, 我 没有 意见 。 Zhǐyào nǐ māma tóngyì nǐ qù Běijīng, wǒ jiù méiyǒu yìjiàn.As long as your mother agrees with you going to Beijing, I have no issue with it.
  • 只要 不 堵车, 我们 能 准时 到 。 Zhǐyào bù dǔchē, wǒmen jiù néng zhǔnshí dào.As long as traffic isn't bad, we can get there on time.
  • 只要 你 不 生气 , 我 告诉 你 。 Zhǐyào nǐ bù shēngqì, wǒ jiù gàosu nǐ.As long as you won't get mad, I'll tell you.
  • 只要 你 的 要求 是 合理 的 , 我们 可以 考虑 。 Zhǐyào nǐ de yāoqiú shì hélǐ de, wǒmen jiù kěyǐ kǎolǜ.As long as your requirements are reasonable, we can consider them.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books