<blockquote>
  <p>[等 (X) 就 (Y)] = [wait till (X) then (Y)]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example:</p>

<p><strong>等</strong>(你来天津)， 我<strong>就</strong>(给你当导游。)</p>

<p><strong>wait till</strong> (you come to Tianjin,) I'll <strong>then</strong> (be your tour guide.)</p>

<p>Other combinations:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[一 (X) 就 (Y)]  = [once/as soon as (X) then (Y)]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example:</p>

<p>你<strong>一</strong>(来天津)， 我<strong>就</strong>(给你当导游)</p>

<p><strong>Once</strong> (you come to Tianjin,) I'll <strong>then</strong> (be your tour guide.)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[如果(X) 就 (Y)] = [if (X) then (Y)]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example:</p>

<p>如果(你来天津) 我<strong>就</strong>(给你当导游)</p>

<p><strong>If</strong> (you come to Tianjin,) I'll <strong>then</strong> (be your tour guide.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-11T09:00:51.253Z
Is it a rule to use 就 with 等? I'm asking because in English it makes perfect sense to take out the "then" in the examples you gave, and I'm wondering if it applies in Chinese as well. For example, would it make sense if I just say "等你来天津， 我给你当导游。"?
Sean
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-11T10:33:17.383Z
@Seankala Yes, you can omit 就  in  "等你来天津， 我(就)给你当导游。". Because 'then' is implied even without '就'; Just like in English, "Wait till you get to Tianjin, (then) I'll  be your tour guide "-- First  you have to go to Tianjin, and it is the condition to be met.  '就' indicates the condition is met, and the following statement "I'll being your tour guide " will applies.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-11T10:36:31.383Z
Even without 就, we can tell '你来天津' has to happen before '我给你当导游' . because we have  等 (wait) in  '等你来天津'-- Just remember  '就' indicates a condition is met in the previous statement, and a following statement will apply
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-11T07:18:01.020Z
2019-03-11T07:18:01.020Z
Tang Ho
<p>Unlike English, 等你来天津 here is actually <strong>a conditional clause</strong>. It means <strong><em>if it comes to the time when you come to Tianjian</em></strong>. The OP's sentence can be interpreted by <strong>if... then ...</strong> structure in English. So, 就 does mean <strong>then</strong> in that sentence.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-11T12:42:21.673Z
2019-03-11T12:42:21.673Z
dan
<p>等你来上海, 我就给你当导游. 
Ni bien llegues a Shanghai, te daré un tour o  Cuando vengas a Shanghai,   yo  daré un tour.</p>

<p>等你来上海, 我给你当导游<br>
Cuando vengas a Shanghai, seré tu guía o
Seré para ti como tu guía, cuando vengas a Shanghai. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-06T11:16:23.857Z
2020-05-06T11:28:27.933Z
2020-05-06T11:28:27.933Z
Ana Maria Lozada Guevara de Ho
<p>I'm taking an intermediate Chinese course and ran across a character whose usage I can't quite wrap my head around: 就.</p>

<p>I believe the meaning of the character itself are "then, right away, etc." However, I'm finding it difficult to really understand the usage from just the definition itself. Here is an example from the textbook I'm using:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>等你来天津， 我就给你当导游。 (When you come to Tianjin, I'll give you a tour.)</p></li>
<li><p>等你来天津， 我给你当导游。(When you come to Tianjin, I'll be your guide.)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>How should I interpret 就 in this context?</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<grammar><usage>
Usage of 就 in these two examples
# Usage of 就 in these two examples

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-11)

I'm taking an intermediate Chinese course and ran across a character whose usage I can't quite wrap my head around: 就.

I believe the meaning of the character itself are "then, right away, etc." However, I'm finding it difficult to really understand the usage from just the definition itself. Here is an example from the textbook I'm using:

1. 等你来天津， 我就给你当导游。 (When you come to Tianjin, I'll give you a tour.)
2. 等你来天津， 我给你当导游。(When you come to Tianjin, I'll be your guide.)

How should I interpret 就 in this context?

Thank you.

**Tags:** grammar, usage


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-03-11. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> [等 (X) 就 (Y)] = [wait till (X) then (Y)]

Example:

**等**(你来天津)， 我**就**(给你当导游。)

**wait till** (you come to Tianjin,) I'll **then** (be your tour guide.)

Other combinations:

> [一 (X) 就 (Y)] = [once/as soon as (X) then (Y)]

Example:

你**一**(来天津)， 我**就**(给你当导游)

**Once** (you come to Tianjin,) I'll **then** (be your tour guide.)

> [如果(X) 就 (Y)] = [if (X) then (Y)]

Example:

如果(你来天津) 我**就**(给你当导游)

**If** (you come to Tianjin,) I'll **then** (be your tour guide.)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is it a rule to use 就 with 等? I'm asking because in English it makes perfect sense to take out the "then" in the examples you gave, and I'm wondering if it applies in Chinese as well. For example, would it make sense if I just say "等你来天津， 我给你当导游。"?  
> **username_1**: @username_0kala Yes, you can omit 就  in  "等你来天津， 我(就)给你当导游。". Because 'then' is implied even without '就'; Just like in English, "Wait till you get to Tianjin, (then) I'll  be your tour guide "-- First  you have to go to Tianjin, and it is the condition to be met.  '就' indicates the condition is met, and the following statement "I'll being your tour guide " will applies.  
> **username_1**: Even without 就, we can tell '你来天津' has to happen before '我给你当导游' . because we have  等 (wait) in  '等你来天津'-- Just remember  '就' indicates a condition is met in the previous statement, and a following statement will apply  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-03-11. Score: 1

Unlike English, 等你来天津 here is actually **a conditional clause**. It means ***if it comes to the time when you come to Tianjian***. The OP's sentence can be interpreted by **if... then ...** structure in English. So, 就 does mean **then** in that sentence.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-05-06. Score: -1

等你来上海, 我就给你当导游.
Ni bien llegues a Shanghai, te daré un tour o Cuando vengas a Shanghai, yo daré un tour.

等你来上海, 我给你当导游  
Cuando vengas a Shanghai, seré tu guía o
Seré para ti como tu guía, cuando vengas a Shanghai.


---

