就 jiù — at once; then; right away; only; (emphasis); to approach
你休息一下，我马上就回来。Nǐ xiū xi yí xià, wǒ mǎ shàng jiù huí lái.Take a rest; I'll be right back.
Common words: 就要 (jiù yào)、早就 (zǎo jiù)、就是 (jiù shì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "right away"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "right away", including 就 (jiù), 即 (jí). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "right away" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 就 (jiù), 即 (jí) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span jiù, jí — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 就 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 就 jiùat once; then; right away; only; (emphasis); to approachUseful words: 就要, 早就
- 即 jínamely; right away; to approach; to draw nearUseful words: 即使, 立即
Common words for these 2 "right away" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 就 (jiù) — so "right away" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "right away".
即 jí — namely; right away; to approach; to draw near
火车即将出发。Huǒ chē jí jiāng chū fā.The train is about to depart.
Common words: 即使 (jí shǐ)、立即 (lì jí)、即将 (jí jiāng)
All 2 characters
Open 就、即 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.