Definition
既 (jì) has two uses: (1) as a formal adverb meaning 'already' — more literary than 已经 (yǐjīng) and 已 (yǐ), often in the 既…就 structure; (2) as the first part of the paired conjunction 既…又/也… meaning 'both...and...'. Unlike 已经, which is conversational, 既 is mainly written and formal.
adverb
already (formal)
conjunction
both...and... — used in 既…又/也… structure
Easily confused
- 概gàilook-alike(bound form) general; approximate (used in 大概, 概况, etc.)
- 几jǐsound-alike(interrogative) how many; how much
- 季jìsound-alikeseason
- 记jìsound-aliketo remember; to memorize
- 集jísound-alike(noun) collection, anthology, collected works
- 鸡jīsound-alikechicken
- 及jísound-alike(conjunction) and; as well as (used in formal writing to connect nouns or noun phrases)
- 寄jìsound-aliketo send (by mail), to mail, to post
- 急jísound-alike(adjective) urgent; rapid; hurried
- 极jísound-alikeextremely
Examples
- 既，。Tā jì huì huàhuà, yòu huì chànggē.He can both draw and sing.
- 既。Zhège cài jì piányi yòu hǎochī.This dish is both cheap and tasty.
- 既，。Tā jì yǐ dàodá, wǒmen jiù kāishǐ le.Since he has already arrived, we started.
Grammar
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