PrepositionsHSK 5

Limiting scope with 就

就 (jiù) can be used to limit the scope of a comment, meaning 'just regarding' or 'on the topic of'. Place it before the topic, optionally followed by 来说 (informal) or 而言 (formal), then add a comment. This structure is common in formal contexts.

Structure

就 + Topic + (来说 / 而言) + Comment

来说 is more informal, 而言 more formal; the topic markers are often omitted in practice.

Examples

两国领导人就环保问题交换了意见。
Liǎng guó lǐngdǎorén jiù huánbǎo wèntí jiāohuàn le yìjiàn.
The two leaders exchanged views on environmental issues.
我就这个问题说两点我的想法。
Wǒ jiù zhège wèntí shuō liǎng diǎn wǒ de xiǎngfǎ.
I would like to make two points on this issue.
大家就中国互联网的发展发表了各自的看法。
Dàjiā jiù Zhōngguó hùliánwǎng de fāzhǎn fābiǎo le gèzì de kànfǎ.
Everyone expressed their own thoughts on the development of China's internet.
中国主席就中国最近的经济改革做了发言。
Zhōngguó zhǔxí jiù Zhōngguó zuìjìn de jīngjì gǎigé zuò le fāyán.
China's chairman made a statement on China's recent economic reforms.
来自各国的教育学者们就什么是最好的教育方法进行了激烈的讨论。
Láizì gèguó de jiàoyù xuézhě men jiù shénme shì zuìhǎo de jiàoyù fāngfǎ jìnxíng le jīliè de tǎolùn.
Education experts from every country had a heated discussion on the best methods of education.

Words that use this

就jiù(after a suppositional clause) in that case; then; (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after; (same as 是) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly; only; as little as; as much as; as many as; to approach; to move towards; to undertake; to engage in; (often followed by 着) taking advantage of; (of food) to go with; with regard to; concerning; (pattern: 就 ... 也 ...) even if ... still ...; (pattern: 不 ... 就 ...) if not ... then must be ...