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[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- \[...\_jiu...%22 Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu..."\] (B1) - [Expressing lateness with "cai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_lateness_with_%22cai%22) (B1) - [Comparing "cai" and "jiu"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22cai%22_and_%22jiu%22) (B2)

Used for

[Expressing time and date](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_time_and_date), [Expressing attitude](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_attitude), [Sequencing events in time](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Sequencing_events_in_time)

Keywords

[就](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%B0%B1), [了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BA%86)

[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-jiu.jpg](Expressing%20earliness%20with%20%22jiu%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-jiu.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-jiu.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-jiu.jpg)

Just as [才 (cái) can express lateness](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_lateness_with_%22cai%22), 就 (jiù) can be used to indicate that something happened earlier or sooner than expected. It can also be used in the near future to indicate something will happen very soon.

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Used as "Right Away" (in the Future)](#Used_as_.22Right_Away.22_.28in_the_Future.29 "wikilink") - [1.1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [1.2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [2 Used as "Early" (in the Past)](#Used_as_.22Early.22_.28in_the_Past.29 "wikilink") - [2.1 Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink") - [2.2 Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink") - [3 Colloquial Saying 早就](#Colloquial_Saying_.E6.97.A9.E5.B0.B1 "wikilink") - [4 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [5 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [5.1 Books](#Books "wikilink") - [5.2 Websites](#Websites "wikilink")

Used as "Right Away" (in the Future) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When something happens "right away," you're talking about "very soon" in the *future*. ### Structure The pattern is as follows:

Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb

### Examples

- 我马上 *就* 来。Wǒ mǎshàng *jiù* lái.I'll be there in a second. - 米饭二十分钟 *就* 好。Mǐfàn èrshí fēnzhōng *jiù* hǎo.The rice will be ready in 20 minutes. - 你们现在 *就* 出门吗？Nǐmen xiànzài *jiù* chūmén ma?Are you leaving the house right now? - 他们一会儿 *就* 到。Tāmen yīhuìr *jiù* dào.They will be here in a few minutes. - 老板明天 *就* 回来。Lǎobǎn míngtiān *jiù* huílái.The boss will be back tomorrow.

Note that it can sometimes be hard to translate the feeling of "soonness" into English, but in every one of these examples, the time given in the sentences *feels "soon"* to the speaker. Used as "Early" (in the Past) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure In English this use of 就 might be expressed with "as early as," but usually it's not specifically marked.

Subj. + Time Point + 就 + Verb + 了

### Examples

- 我们九点上课，他八点 *就* 来 **了** 。Wǒmen jiǔ diǎn shàngkè, tā bā diǎn *jiù* lái **le**.We have class at nine, but he came in at eight. - 飞机十点起飞，他六点 *就* 到机场 **了** 。Fēijī shí diǎn qǐfēi, tā liù diǎn *jiù* dào jīchǎng **le**.The plane left at ten, but he arrived at the airport at six. - 我昨晚八点半 *就* 睡觉 **了** 。Wǒ zuówǎn bā diǎn bàn *jiù* shuìjiào **le**.I went to bed at eight thirty last night. - 她十八岁 *就* 大学毕业 **了** 。Tā shíbā suì *jiù* dàxué bìyè **le**.She graduated from college when she was only 18 years old.

Not only can 就 emphasize "time point," but can also emphasize "time period," indicating "very fast."

Subj. + Time Period + 就 + Verb + 了

A few examples:

- 你 **一个晚上** *就* 看完 **了** ？Nǐ **yī gè wǎnshang** *jiù* kàn wán **le**?It only took you just one night to finish reading it? - 他 **十分钟** *就* 做完 **了** 。Tā **shí fēnzhōng** *jiù* zuò wán **le**.It only took him ten minutes to finish doing it.

From the example sentences it is clear that [了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BA%86) naturally occurs with a verb used after 就. This is because verbs following 就 generally have the feeling of being completed. Colloquial Saying 早就 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 早就 means "long ago," and is usually used to express a kind of impatience or surprise on the part of the speaker. It comes before the verb.

- 我 *早就* 知道 **了** ！Wǒ *zǎo jiù* zhīdào **le**!I knew that long ago! - 她 *早就* 结婚 **了** 。Tā *zǎo jiù* jiéhūn **le**.She got married a long time ago. - 他们 *早就* 分手 **了** 。Tāmen *zǎo jiù* fēnshǒu **le**.They broke up a long time ago. - 我们 *早就* 毕业 **了** 。Wǒmen *zǎo jiù* bìyè **le**.We graduated a long time ago! - 我 *早就* 跟你说 **过** ，他不是好人。Wǒ *zǎo jiù* gēn nǐ shuō **guo**, tā bù shì hǎo rén.I told you a long time ago that he's not a good guy.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Comparing "cai" and "jiu"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22cai%22_and_%22jiu%22) - \[...\_jiu%22 Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"\] - [Expressing indifference with "jiu"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_indifference_with_%22jiu%22) - ["If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22If%E2%80%A6,_then%E2%80%A6%22_with_%22ruguo%E2%80%A6,_jiu%E2%80%A6%22) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1) (pp. 181-2) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xe9H5W) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3)) (pp. 102-3) [→buy](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) - [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD40%E8%AF%BE%E4%B8%8A%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89) (pp. 239) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20) ### Websites - East Asia Student: [就 and 才 in Mandarin: as early as, not until](http://eastasiastudent.net/2619/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/jiu-cai-early-as-not-until/)

[Categories](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points) - [Adverbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:Adverbs)

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