就 (jiù) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

就

jiù[jiu4]Tone 4

then, at once, right away, just

HSK 1

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English · then, at once, right away, just

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:12

Writing Balance Rule: The left side (京) is slightly wider and taller, while the right side (尤) anchors the right half with its sweeping hook stroke.

1. Meaning

then, right away, precisely

as soon aseven ifto approach or undertakeonly, merely

Adverb / Preposition / ConjunctionNeutral#grammar#time#logic#action

Sample Usage

我马上就来。
Wǒ mǎshàng jiù lái.
I will come right away.
他下课就回家了。
Tā xiàkè jiù huíjiā le.
He went home as soon as class ended.

2. Sound

/[t͡ɕiʊ̯˥˩]/Tone: 51

就

jiùjiu4

`(51)

=jiù

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal

Sounds like: j in 'jeep' (alveolo-palatal affricate)

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: No air puff. Lips spread wide like smiling.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Front of tongue blade placed flat just behind the upper teeth ridge with flat air release.

Final Rhyme

Vowel Group: -i vowel group

Sounds like: -iou rhymes with 'yow' or 'ee-oh'

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'yo'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Abbreviated Rhyme Rule: iu is short for iou, keeping the hidden 'o' glide in the middle.

Tone

T4 (51)

5 → 1 (51)

4th Tone (High-Falling)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and plunges straight down, exactly like shouting a sharp 'No!' or expressing sudden realization 'Oh!'.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the 4th tone jiù with the 3rd tone jiǔ (wine/alcohol), missing the sharp downward pitch drop.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, definitive karate chop downward in the air, matching the dropping 51 tone contour.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 12 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left side (京) is slightly wider and taller, while the right side (尤) anchors the right half with its sweeping hook stroke.

4. Components

Radical 尢 · Lame Radical (lame or crippled leg)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 尤 (provides phonetic and partial conceptual framework of movement or surpassing)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 京 (original sound: jiāng / jiù family sound contributor)

On the left stands a high capital city or tall building (京), and on the right is a person walking with a limp or stepping forward (尤). Together they represent advancing towards a destination right away.

京 capital, high structure
尤 outstanding, fault, or walking partner

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

16· Phonetic Root: 京 (jīng)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined elements indicating approaching or reaching a goal. The left side provided the sound while the right side denoted movement toward a target.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from physical approaching and reaching to abstract logical sequence ('then', 'in that case', 'immediately after').

Extremely versatile grammar particle in modern Mandarin connecting conditional and temporal clauses.

6. Sinosphere

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: シュウ (shuu) / セウ (seu) / Kun: つうず (tsuuzu) / 就く (tsuku)

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

In the capital city (京), someone with a limp (尤) hurries forward RIGHT AWAY (就) as soon as the bell rings.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

就

jiùthen, approachStandard character with capital on left and walking/fault on right.

蹴

cùto kickAdds the foot radical (足) on the left.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

京(jīng)

京 is just the top-left/left component of 就 without the right-side radical.

尤(yóu)

尤 stands alone meaning 'especially' or 'fault', whereas 就 has the complex left side.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

他下课[___]回家了。

Clue: jiù

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing 就 (jiù, immediate/then) with 才 (cái, only/not until), which indicates delay rather than promptness.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: When you see 就 in a sentence connecting two actions, what does it signify about timing?

Production: How do you write the character meaning 'then / right away' (jiù) with 12 strokes?

就jiùthen, at once, right away, just

Speed:

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