Written Version of 就 jiù — 便 biàn

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OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 5
Grammar Point · HSK 5

“Then / Right Away” — 便 biàn

As an adverb, 便 biàn means “then,” “right away,” or “already.” It’s the more formal, written version of 就 jiù, common in stories, news, and essays.

便 biàn in Chinese

Wherever 便 biàn appears in these patterns, you could say 就 jiù in casual speech. Like 就 jiù, it always goes after the subject and right before the verb.

1Structure

(S +) 一 yī + V₁，(S +) 便 biàn + V₂: “as soon as”

他tā一yì回到huídào家jiā便biàn倒dǎo在zài沙发shāfā上shang睡着shuìzháo了le
As soon as he got home, he collapsed on the sofa and fell asleep.
我wǒ一yí看到kàndào那nà封fēng信xìn，便biàn明白míngbai了le一切yíqiè
The moment I saw that letter, I understood everything.
天tiān一yì黑hēi，路灯lùdēng便biàn亮liàng了le起来qǐlai
As soon as it got dark, the streetlights came on.
她tā一yì听到tīngdào这zhè个ge消息xiāoxi，便biàn哭kū了le出来chūlai
The moment she heard the news, she burst into tears.

只要 zhǐyào / 如果 rúguǒ + Condition，(S +) 便 biàn + Result

只要zhǐyào多duō练习liànxí，便biàn能néng说shuō得de更gèng流利liúlì
As long as you practice more, you’ll be able to speak more fluently.
如果rúguǒ明天míngtiān下雨xiàyǔ，比赛bǐsài便biàn取消qǔxiāo
If it rains tomorrow, the game will be canceled.
只要zhǐyào按àn下xià这zhè个ge按钮ànniǔ，机器jīqì便biàn会huì自动zìdòng停止tíngzhǐ
Just press this button and the machine will stop automatically.
有yǒu任何rènhé问题wèntí，便biàn可以kěyǐ直接zhíjiē联系liánxì客服kèfú
If you have any questions, you can contact customer service directly.

Time / Age + 便 biàn + V: “already, as early as”

Stresses that something happened early or quickly.

他tā十八shíbā岁suì便biàn离开líkāi家乡jiāxiāng，到dào台北Táiběi工作gōngzuò
He left his hometown at just eighteen to work in Taipei.
这zhè家jiā店diàn早上zǎoshang六liù点diǎn便biàn开门kāimén了le
This shop already opens at six in the morning.
她tā三sān岁suì便biàn开始kāishǐ学xué钢琴gāngqín
She started learning piano when she was only three.
不bú到dào一yí个ge小时xiǎoshí，票piào便biàn全部quánbù卖mài完wán了le
In less than an hour, the tickets had all sold out.

V₁ (了)…，(S +) 便 biàn + V₂: “and then”

In narration, 便 biàn links two actions that happen one right after the other.

他tā说shuō完wán这zhè句jù话huà，便biàn转身zhuǎnshēn离开líkāi了le
After saying that, he turned and left.
吃chī完wán晚饭wǎnfàn，我们wǒmen便biàn去qù河边hébiān散步sànbù
After dinner, we went for a walk by the river.
老师lǎoshī简单jiǎndān介绍jièshào了le一下yíxià，便biàn开始kāishǐ上课shàngkè
The teacher gave a quick introduction and then started the class.
他tā把bǎ行李xíngli放fàng好hǎo，便biàn出门chūmén了le
He put his luggage away and then went out.
📌 便 biàn vs. 就 jiù

In all the patterns above, 便 biàn = 就 jiù, just more formal. But 就 jiù has many other uses that 便 biàn doesn’t, such as “only” or emphasis with 就是 jiùshì.

他tā一yí到dào就jiù开始kāishǐ工作gōngzuò了le
He started working the moment he arrived. (spoken)
他tā一yí到dào便biàn开始kāishǐ工作gōngzuò
He began working immediately upon arrival. (written)
💡 Two pronunciations

便 has two readings. As an adverb and in words like 方便 fāngbiàn (“convenient”) and 随便 suíbiàn (“casual, whatever”), it’s biàn. But in 便宜 piányí (“cheap”), it’s pián.

2Common Mistakes

❌ 他tā一yì回huí家jiā，便biàn他tā睡shuì了le
✅ 他tā一yì回huí家jiā，便biàn睡shuì了le
便 biàn is an adverb. It goes after the subject and right before the verb, never before the subject.
❌ 我wǒ便biàn是shì王Wáng老师lǎoshī
✅ 我wǒ就jiù是shì王Wáng老师lǎoshī
便 biàn can’t replace emphatic 就是 jiùshì (“I’m the one…”). It only replaces 就 jiù in the meanings of “then, right away, already.”

3Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01As soon as the class ended, the students ran outside.
一yí下课xiàkè，学生们xuéshengmen便biàn跑pǎo了le出去chūqu。
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02As long as you follow the instructions, you’ll get it right.
只要zhǐyào按照ànzhào说明shuōmíng做zuò，便biàn不bú会huì出错chūcuò。
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03He could already read at four.
他tā四sì岁suì便biàn会huì看kàn书shū了le。
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04After finishing the report, she went home.
写xiě完wán报告bàogào，她tā便biàn回家huíjiā了le。
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05If you are not satisfied, you can return it within seven days.
如果rúguǒ不bù满意mǎnyì，七qī天tiān内nèi便biàn可以kěyǐ退货tuìhuò。
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06The moment he saw me, he smiled.
他tā一yí看到kàndào我wǒ，便biàn笑xiào了le。
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07In just three months, the store had already closed.
才cái三sān个ge月yuè，那nà家jiā店diàn便biàn关门guānmén了le。
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08She drank a glass of water and then went to bed.
她tā喝hē了le一yì杯bēi水shuǐ，便biàn去qù睡觉shuìjiào了le。
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Related Grammar

→“So That” — 以便 yǐbiàn(HSK 6) →就 jiù Chinese Grammar

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