() — (adverb) namely, that is; (adverb) immediately, at once (often in the pattern 一A即B 'as soon as A then B'); (adverb) even if, even though (used in formal concessive clauses)

Definition

即 is a formal/literary adverb — 'immediately' in written 一A即B patterns (heavier than 立刻 or 当即), and 'namely/that is' before restating. The concessive sense 即便 is its own conjunction; 即 alone in that meaning is rare.

adverb
namelythat isimmediatelyat once (often in the pattern 一A即B 'as soon as A then B')even ifeven though (used in formal concessive clauses)

Examples

  • Chūn jié jí nóng lì xīn nián, shì zhōng guó rén zuì zhòng yào de jié rì.
    Spring Festival is the Lunar New Year — it's the most important holiday for Chinese people.
  • Zhè piān kè wén hěn nán, dàn tā yí kàn jí dǒng.
    This text is very difficult, but he understood it as soon as he looked at it.
  • jí Shǐ bù chéng gōng, wǒ men yě bù huī xīn.
    Even if we don't succeed, we won't get discouraged.

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