Easier 就 jiù Grammar

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, 就 jiù can be used to express that something happens easier than expected. It is often used in a positive way to indicate a pleasant surprise or an unexpected result.

Structure

S + 就 jiù + Unexpected result

It is often combined with 没想到 méixiǎngdào or 想不到 xiǎngbùdào to express the speaker’s surprise or unexpectedness. The 就 jiù emphasizes the ease or simplicity of the result that follows.

大家dàjiā都dōu說shuō就業jiùyè很hěn難nán， 沒想到méixiǎngdào弟弟dìdi一yí畢業bìyè就jiù找zhǎo到dào工作gōngzuò了le大家dàjiā都dōu说shuō就业jiùyè很hěn难nán， 没想到méixiǎngdào弟弟dìdi一yí毕业bìyè就jiù找zhǎo到dào工作gōngzuò了le
People say that finding a job is difficult, but I didn’t expect my younger brother to get one right after graduation.

我wǒ從沒cóngméi參加cānjiā過guò馬拉松mǎlāsōng， 所以suǒyǐ以為yǐwéi很hěn累lèi， 沒想到méixiǎngdào輕輕鬆鬆qīngqīngsōngsōng就jiù跑pǎo完wán了le我wǒ从没cóngméi参加cānjiā过guò马拉松mǎlāsōng， 所以suǒyǐ以为yǐwéi很hěn累lèi， 没想到méixiǎngdào轻轻松松qīngqīngsōngsōng就jiù跑pǎo完wán了le
I have never participated in a marathon before, so I thought it would be very tiring. However, to my surprise, I finished the race with ease.

聽說tīngshuō做zuò東坡肉dōngpōròu很hěn容易róngyì失敗shībài，，沒想到méixiǎngdào我wǒ第一次dìyīcì就jiù成功chénggōng了le听说tīngshuō做zuò东坡肉dōngpōròu很hěn容易róngyì失败shībài，，没想到méixiǎngdào我wǒ第一次dìyīcì就jiù成功chénggōng了le
I heard that it’s easy to fail in making Dongpo Pork, but I succeeded on my first try.

新的xīnde蘋果pínguǒ手機shǒujī很hěn熱門rèmén很hěn難買nánmǎi， 可是kěshì我們wǒmen去qù第一dìyī家jiā店diàn就jiù買mǎi到dào了le新的xīnde苹果píngguǒ手机shǒujī很hěn热门rèmén很hěn难买nánmǎi， 可是kěshì我们wǒmen去qù第一dìyī家jiā店diàn就jiù买mǎi到dào了le
The new iPhone is very popular and hard to buy, but we managed to get it at the first store we went to.

有的yǒude人rén努力nǔlì多duō年nián還是háishì沒辦法méibànfǎ懷孕huáiyùn， 但是dànshì有的yǒude人rén卻què一次yícì就jiù當dāng媽媽māma了le有的yǒude人rén努力nǔlì多duō年nián还是háishì没办法méibànfǎ怀孕huáiyùn， 但是dànshì有的yǒude人rén却què一次yícì就jiù当dāng妈妈māma了le
Some people try for years but can’t get pregnant, while others become mothers on their first try.

FYI
In both Taiwan and China, it is a common custom for women to keep their pregnancy a secret during the first three months. This is because the first trimester is considered a critical period, and there is a higher risk of miscarriage. Therefore, many women choose to wait until the second trimester to share the news with family and friends.
If you notice that your friend is pregnant and she mentions that she can’t drink, it is best not to directly ask her if she is pregnant, even if it seems obvious.

還hái真zhēn是shì想不到xiǎngbúdào你nǐ竟然jìngrán一次yícì就jiù通過tōngguò司法sīfǎ考試kǎoshì还hái真zhēn是shì想不到xiǎngbúdào你nǐ竟然jìngrán一次yícì就jiù通过tōngguò司法sīfǎ考试kǎoshì
I really didn’t expect you to pass the judicial exam on your first attempt.

• If you want to express that something happens harder than expected, you should use 才 cái.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ This medicine works well. I just took one pill and my illness was cured.

這zhè藥yào的de效果xiàoguǒ很hěn好hǎo， 我wǒ吃chī一yì顆kē病bìng就jiù好了hǎole这zhè药yào的de效果xiàoguǒ很hěn好hǎo， 我wǒ吃chī一yì颗kē病bìng就jiù好了hǎole

✔️ He passed HSK6 just by self-study. But not you…;)

他tā靠kào自學zìxué就jiù通過tōngguòHSK6 了le他tā靠kào自学zìxué就jiù通过tōngguòHSK6 了le

✔️ I only give this plant a little water every day, but I didn’t expect it to grow so well.

我wǒ每天měitiān只zhǐ給gěi這zhè盆pén花huā一點yìdiǎn水shuǐ， 沒想到méixiǎngdào它tā就jiù長zhǎng得de那麼nàme好hǎo我wǒ每天měitiān只zhǐ给gěi这zhè盆pén花huā一点yìdiǎn水shuǐ， 没想到méixiǎngdào它tā就jiù长zhǎng得de那么nàme好hǎo

Other 就 jiù related posts:

• 就 jiù Chinese Grammar