Put 就 jiù after a time word and it gives the sentence a feeling of “soon” or “early.” It can mean something is about to happen right away, or that something happened earlier or faster than you expected. English often doesn’t translate it at all; the feeling comes from context.
一 Right Away: Something Happens Soon
Subject + Time Word + 就 + Verb
Here 就 jiù tells you something is going to happen very soon. It’s like “right away” in English, though often it’s just left untranslated. You’ll see it with words like 馬上 mǎshàng马上 mǎshàng, 立刻 lìkè and 現在 xiànzài现在 xiànzài (“right now,” “immediately”).
等我一下，我立刻就到
Wait for me, I’ll be right there.
給给我五分鐘分钟就好
Give me five minutes and I’ll be ready.
你現在现在就把電視电视關掉关掉，然後然后去寫写作業作业
Turn off the TV right now and go do your homework.
我們我们馬上马上就要開始开始開會开会了，請请把手機手机調调靜音静音
We’re about to start the meeting. Please put your phone on silent.
馬上就要⋯了 mǎshàng jiù yào … le马上就要⋯了 mǎshàng jiù yào … le is a very common combo for “about to.”
Just happened?Want to say something just happened? That’s not 就 jiù. Use 才 cái instead.
二 Earlier or Faster Than Expected
Subject + Time / Amount + 就 + Verb + 了
Here 就 jiù shows that something happened earlier or faster than you expected. When it’s about the past, the sentence usually ends with 了 le.
他明天就會会來来台灣台湾了
He’s coming to Taiwan tomorrow!
I thought he was coming next month.
你下個月下个月就要回國回国嗎吗？太快了！
You’re going back home next month? That’s so soon!
他十八歲岁就結婚结婚了
He got married when he was only 18.
Most people don’t get married at 18, so it’s earlier than expected.
爺爺爷爷坐在椅子上，五分鐘分钟就睡著睡着了
Grandpa sat down in the chair and fell asleep in just five minutes.
Five minutes is faster than expected.
你為什麼为什么現在现在就來来我家？我們我们不是約约晚上見见嗎吗？
Why are you already at my place? Weren’t we meeting tonight?
Same sentence, two feelingsNotice the first example: 他明天就會來台灣了他明天就会来台湾了. Out of context, it could just mean “he’s coming tomorrow” (Section 1). The “earlier than expected” feeling comes from what the speaker thought before.
三 就 vs. 才
就 jiù is the opposite of 才 cái. 就 jiù means earlier or sooner than expected; 才 cái means later than expected.
就 jiù · early
他六點六点就起床了
He got up at 6:00. That’s early! Sentences with 就 usually end with 了.
才 cái · late
他十點十点才起床
He didn’t get up until 10:00. That’s late! Sentences with 才 don’t take 了.
四 Common Mistakes
❌ 他結婚结婚了十八歲岁
✅ 他十八歲岁就結婚结婚了
Don’t follow English word order. The time word goes before the verb, and 就 jiù goes right between them.
❌ 他十點十点就起床了，太晚了！
✅ 他十點十点才起床，太晚了！
If it’s later than expected, use 才 cái, not 就 jiù.
❌ 就他五分鐘分钟做完了
✅ 他五分鐘分钟就做完了
就 jiù is an adverb, so it goes after the subject and the time word, right before the verb.
五 Practice
Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!
Question 1 of 10
“She got to the office at 6:30. (That’s early!)”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
她六點半六点半就到公司了
Starting with 六點半 liù diǎn bàn六点半 liù diǎn bàn is also correct.
Earlier than usual, so 就 jiù. The 才 cái tile is a trap: it would mean she was late.
“I’m going home right now.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我現在现在就回家
Starting with 現在 xiànzài现在 xiànzài is also correct.
現在就 xiànzài jiù现在就 xiànzài jiù = “right now, right away.”
“He finished the work in just five minutes.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
他五分鐘分钟就做完工作了
The amount of time (五分鐘 wǔ fēnzhōng五分钟 wǔ fēnzhōng) goes before 就 jiù to show it was faster than expected.
“Wait a sec, I’ll be right there!”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
等我一下，我馬上马上就到！
馬上就到 mǎshàng jiù dào马上就到 mǎshàng jiù dào = “I’ll be there right away.”
“The movie is about to start.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
電影电影馬上马上就要開始开始了
馬上就要⋯了 mǎshàng jiù yào … le马上就要⋯了 mǎshàng jiù yào … le means “about to.”
“She learned to swim when she was only three.”
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❌ Try Again
她三歲岁就學會学会游泳了
Three is young to learn to swim, so it’s earlier than expected: 就 jiù. The 才 cái tile is a trap.
“The baby fell asleep in just two minutes.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
寶寶宝宝兩两分鐘分钟就睡著睡着了
Faster than expected, so the sentence gets 就 jiù and ends with 了 le.
“Why did you come so early?”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
你怎麼怎么這麼这么早就來来了？
這麼早 zhème zǎo这么早 zhème zǎo (“so early”) + 就 jiù shows the speaker is surprised by how early it is.
“He finished his homework before dinner.”
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❌ Try Again
他晚飯晚饭前就寫完写完作業作业了
Starting with 晚飯前 wǎnfàn qián晚饭前 wǎnfàn qián is also correct.
Finished early, before dinner even started, so 就 jiù fits.
