Expressing "just" with "gang"

When something recently happened, or in the immediate past, in English we use the word "just." For example, if you pass a turn you were supposed to make, you might say, "Ugh, I was just there!" or "I just passed it!" In Chinese, "just" can be expressed with 刚 (gāng) or 刚刚 (gānggāng).

Expressing "just" happened

Structure

刚 (gāng) expresses an action that happened not long ago. 刚刚 (gānggāng) is used the same way, with the same meaning.

Subj. + 刚 + Verb

or

Subj. + 刚刚 + Verb

Examples

  • 我们 知道。 Wǒmen gāng zhīdao. We just found out.
  • 她们 走。Tāmen gāng zǒu. They just left.
  • 老板 刚刚 到 办公室。 Lǎobǎn gānggāng dào bàngōngshì. The boss just came to the office.
  • 我老婆 生 完 孩子。 Wǒlǎopo gāng shēng wán háizi. My wife just finished giving birth to our baby.
  • 刚刚 下班 吗?gānggāng xiàbān ma? Did you just get off work?

"Just" happened, with a specific time period

Structure

刚 (gāng) can also express "from the time an action happens until the present time".

Subj. + 刚 + Verb. (+ Obj.) + Duration

Note that although we need to say "ago" in English, in this pattern there's no need for a word that means "ago."

Examples

  • 认识 她 十 天gāng rènshi tā shí tiān. We just met each other ten days ago.
  • 来 中国 两 个 月gāng lái Zhōngguó liǎng gè yuè. He just got to China two months ago.
  • 我 弟弟 工作 半年Wǒ dìdi gāng gōngzuò bàn nián . My younger brother just started working half a year ago.
  • 结婚 三 个 月 gāng jiéhūn sān gè yuè. She just got married three months ago.
  • 我 的 车 两 天,开 的时候 小心 点。 Wǒ de chē gāng mǎi liǎng tiān, kāi de shíhou xiǎoxīn diǎn. I just bought the car two days ago. Be careful when you drive.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books