eric
/
ChineseGrammarWiki


			
							123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160161162
							<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html>

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops">
<head>
<title>Expressing "small quantity" with "jiu"</title>
<link href="../Styles/main.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Expressing "small quantity" with "就" "jiù"</h1>


<p>就 (jiù) is often translated simply as "just" or "only," but there are some nuances to how it is used.</p>

<h2>Contents</h2>

<div class="contents"><ul><li>1 Used as "Only" <br/></li>
<ul><li>1.1 Used before Subject </li>
<ul><li>1.1.1 Structure </li>
<li>1.1.2 Examples </li>
</ul>
<li>1.2 Used before the Predicate </li>
<ul><li>1.2.1 Structure </li>
<li>1.2.2 Examples </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>2 Used as "Only Have" <br/></li>
<ul><li>2.1 Structure </li>
<li>2.2 Examples </li>
</ul>
<li>3 See also <br/></li>
<li>4 Sources and further reading <br/></li>
<ul><li>4.1 Books </li>
<li>4.2 Dictionaries
Used as "Only"</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>

<p>就 can also be used to express one person or thing, similar to how we say in English "just one person" or "just one left." It is often paired with 一个 or similar in order to emphasize the small quantity.</p>

<h2>Used before Subject
</h2>
<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">就 + Subj. + Predicate</div>

<p>The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.</p>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li>这 件 事 就 我 知道 。
Zhè jiàn shì jiù wǒ zhīdào.
I'm the only person that knows about this. </li>
<li>我们 都 忘 了 ，就 他 还 记得 。
Wǒmen dōu wàng le, jiù tā hái jìde.
We all forgot. Only he still remembers it. </li>
<li>大家 都 下班 了 ，就 老板 还 没 走 。
Dàjiā dōu xiàbān le, jiù lǎobǎn hái méi zǒu.
Everyone finished work and left. Only the boss hasn't left. </li>
<li>所有 的 菜 都 很 好吃，就 这 两 个 菜 有点 咸 。
Suǒyǒu de cài dōu hěn hǎochī, jiù zhè liǎng gè cài yǒudiǎn xián.
All the food is delicious. Just these two dishes are a little salty. </li>
<li>你 觉得 别人 都 是 傻子 吗？就 你 聪明 ？
Nǐ juéde biérén dōu shì shǎzi ma? Jiù nǐ cōngming?
Do you think everyone is an idiot? That only you are smart?<br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<p>In this case, the 就 comes before the verb, and what's being emphasized as "small quantity" comes after the verb, either as an object or some other kind of small quantity.</p>

<h2>Used before the Predicate</h2>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">Subj. + 就 + [Verb Phrase]</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li>我 就 去 过 一 次 。
Wǒ jiù qù guo yī cì.
I've only been there once. </li>
<li>我 早饭 就 吃 了 一 片 面包。
Wǒ zǎofàn jiù chī le yī piàn miàn bāo.
I only had a piece of bread for breakfast. </li>
<li>你 就 点 了 两 个 菜 ？
Nǐ jiù diǎn le liǎng gè cài?
You ordered only two dishes? </li>
<li>他 的 事 ，我们 就 知道 一点点 。
Tā de shì, wǒmen jiù zhīdào yīdiǎndiǎn.
We only know a little about his business. </li>
<li>她 在 我们 公司 就 工作 了 两个 月。
Tā zài wǒmen gōngsī jiù gōngzuò le liǎng gè yuè.
She has worked at our company for only two months.<br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>Used as "Only Have"</h2>

<p>In this case, 就 means "only have," similar in meaning to 只有. (In these cases, however, 就有 would not be correct. Just use 就.)</p>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">Subj. + 就 + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li>这里 就 一 个 厕所 ？
Zhèlǐ jiù yī gè cèsuǒ?
Does this place only have one bathroom? </li>
<li>你们 家 就 一 个 孩子 吗 ？
Nǐmen jiā jiù yī gè háizi ma?
Does your family only have one child? </li>
<li>我 就 一 个 哥哥 。
Wǒ jiù yī gè gēge.
I only have one brother. </li>
<li>他 在 上海 就 一 个 朋友 。
Tā zài Shànghǎi jiù yī gè péngyou.
He only has one friend in Shanghai. </li>
<li>我们 公司 就 三 个 员工 。
Wǒmen gōngsī jiù sān gè yuángōng.
There are only three employees in our company.<br/></li>
</ul>
</div>


<h2>See also</h2>
<div class="See-also">
Comparing "cai" and "jiu"
Events in quick succession with "yi... jiu"
Expressing earliness with "jiu"
Expressing indifference with "jiu"
Limiting scope with "jiu"
"If…, then…" with "ruguo…, jiu…"
Sources and further reading
</div>
<h2>Books</h2>

<div class="See-also">现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 315) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 175-6) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 120) →buy
A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 570) →buy
Dictionaries</div>


现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 733) →buy
</body>
</html>