就 meaning and stroke order
(after a suppositional clause) in that case; then; (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after; (same as 就是[jiu4 shi4]) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly
How to write 就, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 就
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then
- (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after
- (same as 就是[jiu4 shi4]) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly
- only; as little as
- as much as; as many as
- to approach; to move towards
How 就 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Specialty.
尤 gives the meaning and 京 hints at the sound.
Radical: 尢 (weak), shared by 7 characters on this site.
How to remember 就
On the left is 京 (jīng), the capital city, which also hints at the sound. On the right is 尤 (yóu), meaning something special, so picture yourself heading straight to the capital for its specialty and getting there right away.
就 is one of the most common adverbs in Chinese. It means "then" after a condition, "right away" after an action, or "just, only" for emphasis. Example: 你来了，我们就走。(Nǐ lái le, wǒmen jiù zǒu.) Once you come, we will leave.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 就 (jiù) and 才 (cái). 就 suggests something happens early or easily, while 才 suggests it happens late or with difficulty, so 他八点就来了 means he came as early as eight, but 他八点才来 means he did not come until eight.
Common words with 就
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 就要 | jiùyào | will; shall | HSK 2 |
| 早就 | zǎo jiù | already at an earlier time | HSK 2 |
| 就是 | jiùshì | exactly; precisely; only; simply; just | HSK 3 |
| 成就 | chéngjiù | accomplishment; success | HSK 3 |
| 就业 | jiùyè | to get a job; employment | HSK 3 |
| 就算 | jiùsuàn | (coll.) even if | HSK 6 |
| 就是说 | jiùshìshuō | in other words; that is | HSK 6 |
| 这就是说 | zhè jiùshì shuō | in other words; that is to say | HSK 6 |
| 也就是说 | yějiùshìshuō | in other words; that is to say | HSK 7-9 |
| 造就 | zàojiù | to bring up; to train | HSK 7-9 |
| 就读 | jiùdú | to go to school | HSK 7-9 |
| 迁就 | qiānjiù | to yield to; to adapt to; to accommodate oneself to (sth) | HSK 7-9 |
| 就职 | jiùzhí | to take office; to assume a post | HSK 7-9 |
| 就座 | jiùzuò | to take a seat | HSK 7-9 |
就 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 就
Learning 就 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 就
How many strokes are in 就?
就 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 就 mean?
就 (jiù) means (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then; (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after; (same as 就是[jiu4 shi4]) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly. A common word with it is 就要 (jiùyào), meaning "will; shall".
How do you pronounce 就?
就 is pronounced jiù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 就?
The radical of 就 is 尢, which carries the idea of "weak". Dictionaries list 就 under this radical.
Is 就 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 就 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Where does 就 go in a sentence?
就 is an adverb, so it goes after the subject and before the verb. Say 我就去 (wǒ jiù qù), not 就我去, unless you mean "only I will go."
What does 就是 mean in conversation?
就是 (jiùshì) can mean "exactly" or "that's right" when agreeing with someone. It can also mean "it's just that" before a small complaint, as in 很好，就是有点贵 (hěn hǎo, jiùshì yǒudiǎn guì), it's good, just a bit expensive.