Meaning of 就是
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- exactly; precisely
- only; simply; just
- (used correlatively with 也[ye3]) even; even if
How to use 就是
就是 often adds emphasis, meaning "exactly" or "simply." It also pairs with 也 (yě) to mean "even if." Example: 他就是我的老师。(Tā jiù shì wǒ de lǎoshī.) He is precisely my teacher.
就 (jiù) means "right then, just" and 是 (shì) means "is." Put them together and you get "is exactly this," a way to point straight at the thing you mean.
Common mistake: Learners often use 就是 to mean "but" without knowing it is a soft, spoken "it's just that," as in 很好，就是贵 (hěn hǎo, jiùshì guì). It is not a formal replacement for 但是 (dànshì) in writing. Also, in the "even if" pattern, learners forget the 也 (yě) in the second half.
就是 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
就 jiù · in that case · 12 strokes
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是 shì · to be · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 就是.
| 还是 | háishi | still (as before); had better |
| 是不是 | shì bu shì | is or is not (used to form yes-no questions) |
| 但是 | dànshì | but; however |
| 可是 | kěshì | but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed |
| 就要 | jiùyào | will; shall |
| 早就 | zǎo jiù | already at an earlier time |
| 正是 | zhèngshì | is precisely |
| 老是 | lǎoshì | always |
| 只是 | zhǐshì | merely; only; just; nothing but; simply |
| 要是 | yàoshi | (coll.) if |
| 总是 | zǒngshì | always |
| 成就 | chéngjiù | accomplishment; success |
Questions about 就是
What does 就是 mean?
就是 (jiùshì) means "exactly; precisely; only; simply; just" and is used as a conjunction.
How do you write 就是?
就是 is made of 2 characters: 就 (12 strokes), 是 (9 strokes). That is 21 strokes in total.
Is 就是 an HSK word?
Yes. 就是 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do I use 就是 to mean "even if"?
Put 就是 in the first clause and 也 in the second. Example: 就是下雨，我也去。(Jiùshì xià yǔ, wǒ yě qù.) Even if it rains, I will still go.
What does 就是 mean when someone says it alone in conversation?
Said by itself, 就是 or 就是啊 (jiùshì a) means "Exactly" or "That's right." It shows strong agreement with what the other person just said.