ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/MD/A2/10.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 

For events that happened 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, "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. 

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 刚 + Verb
</div>

or

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 刚刚 + Verb
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
*我们 <em>刚</em> 知道。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">We just found out.</span>
*她们 <em>刚</em> 走。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>gāng</em> zǒu.</span><span class="trans">They just left.</span>
*老板 <em>刚刚</em> 到 办公室。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>gānggāng</em> dào bàngōngshì.</span><span class="trans">The boss just arrived at the office.</span>
*我 老婆 <em>刚</em> 生 完 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎopo <em>gāng</em> shēng wán háizi.</span><span class="trans">My wife just finished giving birth to our baby.</span>
*你 <em>刚刚</em> 下班 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>gānggāng</em> xiàbān ma? </span><span class="trans">Did you just get off work?</span>

</div>

== "Just" Within a Specific Time Period ==

This more complicated use of 刚 (gāng) is not nearly as essential as the one above, but you may find it useful to specify just ''when'' the event "just" occurred, specifically.

=== Structure ===

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

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 刚 + Verb (+ Obj.)  + Duration
</div>

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

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

*我 <em>刚</em> 认识 她 <strong> 十 天</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> rènshi tā <strong>shí tiān</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I just met her ten days ago.</span>
*他 <em>刚</em> 来 中国 <strong>两 个 月</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> lái Zhōngguó <strong>liǎng gè yuè</strong>.</span><span class="trans">He just got to China two months ago.</span>
*我 弟弟 <em>刚</em> 工作 <strong>半年</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ dìdi <em>gāng</em> gōngzuò <strong> bàn nián </strong>.</span><span class="trans">My younger brother just started working half a year ago.</span>
*她  <em>刚</em> 结婚 <strong> 三 个 月 </strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> jiéhūn <strong>sān gè yuè</strong>.</span><span class="trans">She just got married three months ago.</span>
*我 的 车 <em>刚</em> 买 <strong>两 天</strong>，开 的时候 小心 点。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de chē <em>gāng</em> mǎi <strong>liǎng tiān</strong>, kāi de shíhou xiǎoxīn diǎn.</span><span class="trans">I just bought the car two days ago. Be careful when you drive.</span>

</div>

==See also==

*[["Just now" with "gangcai"]]
*[[Comparing "gang" and "gangcai"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] (p. 216)[http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (p. 239) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (p. 81) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|刚|A2|Subj. + 刚 + Verb|他 <em>刚</em> 走。|grammar point|ASGQJJYO}}
{{Rel char|刚刚}}
{{Similar|"Just now" with "gangcai"}}   
{{Similar|Comparing "gang" and "gangcai"}}
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
{{POS|Adverbs}}
{{Translation|Just}}