Difference between revisions of "Expressing earliness with "jiu""

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== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 102 - 103) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
  
 
=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===

Revision as of 07:39, 4 January 2012

Just as 才 can express lateness, 就 can be used to indicate that something happened earlier than expected. The structure is:

Subject + Time + 就 + Verb + Object

In English this might be expressed with "as early as", but usually it's not specifically marked.

Some examples:

  • 我们 早上 九点 上课,可是 他 八点 来了。
  • 她 十八 岁 大学 毕业 了。
  • 我们 上次 出去 玩,他 九点 回去 了。
  • 我 五 点 钟 到 了 饭馆,你 让 我 等 这么 久,罚 你 请客!

From the example sentences it is clear that naturally occurs with a verb used after 就. This is because verbs following 就 generally have the feeling of being completed.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites