就
Pattern
Time / condition + 就 + verb phrase
Key words
Core idea
就 can show that something happens earlier, faster, more easily, or with less delay than expected. It often follows a time phrase or condition.
The exact feeling depends on context, but the shared idea is quickness or low threshold.
What learners often miss
Do not treat 就 as a single English word. In beginner timing sentences, it often comments on how soon the event happens relative to expectation.
Examples
他八点就来了。
Tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.
He came as early as eight o’clock.
我一到家就睡觉。
Wǒ yí dào jiā jiù shuìjiào.
As soon as I get home, I sleep.
这本书我两天就看完了。
Zhè běn shū wǒ liǎng tiān jiù kàn wán le.
I finished this book in just two days.
Common mistakes
Avoid
他八点来了就。
Use
他八点就来了。
就 comes before the verb phrase it comments on, not after the completed sentence.
Seen in stories
The Early Delivery
李叔晚上七点才过生日，可是下午三点蛋糕就到了。
Uncle Li’s birthday is not until seven in the evening, but the cake arrives at three in the afternoon.
The Early Delivery
李叔四点就回来了，大家只好把蛋糕搬到二楼。
Uncle Li comes back as early as four, so everyone has to move the cake to the second floor.
The Early Delivery
李叔一开门就笑了：“你们不用再藏了。”
As soon as Uncle Li opens the door, he laughs: “You don’t need to hide it anymore.”
The Early Delivery
原来，他下午三点在电梯里就闻到了蛋糕的味道。
It turns out he smelled the cake in the elevator as early as three in the afternoon.
The Expired Prize
原来这张发票在昨天就过期了。
It turns out this receipt expired just yesterday.
Here '就' emphasizes that the expiration happened as early as yesterday, or simply emphasizes the fact.