就 (jiù) — right away; as early as

就 (jiù)

就 is a timing adverb that conveys the sense of "right away," "as early as," or "already at that point." It emphasizes that something happens quickly, early, or with little delay.

Meanings

1. [adverb] Right away; immediately; as soon as.
2. [adverb] Already (at an earlier-than-expected time).
3. [adverb] Then; in that case (in conditional sentences).

Example Sentences

我五点就起床了。 Wǒ wǔ diǎn jiù qǐchuáng le. I was up as early as five o'clock.

她一听就笑了。 Tā yī tīng jiù xiào le. She laughed as soon as she heard it.

你说，我就做。 Nǐ shuō, wǒ jiù zuò. You say it and I will do it right away.

如果你累了，就休息一下。 Rúguǒ nǐ lèi le, jiù xiūxi yīxià. If you are tired, then rest for a bit.

Usage Notes

就 contrasts directly with 才. 就 implies the action happens earlier or faster than expected, conveying eagerness or promptness. 才 implies the action happens later or after more difficulty than expected. Compare: 他八点就来了 (He came as early as eight o'clock, impressively early) versus 他八点才来 (He didn't come until eight, which was late). 就 also links the result clause in conditional sentences after 如果.

Collocations or Common Phrases

Memory Hook

就 sounds a bit like "just" — just one second, I'll be right there.