HSK · Level 4
132 words
Chinese word
即
Pronunciation
Pinyinjí
Meaning
- conjunctionthat is
Example
我们的目标，即提高服务质量。wǒ men de mù biāo jí tí gāo fú wù zhì liàng
Our goal, in other words, is to improve service quality.
More examples
他的解释，即是对错误的承认。tā de jiě shì jí shì duì cuò wù de chéng rèn
His explanation, in other words, is an admission of error.
Core concept
A hinge that places a clearer or equivalent formulation directly beside an earlier idea.
Common phrases
即是jí shì
that is
即说明jí shuō míng
that is to explain
即表明jí biǎo míng
that is to indicate
Similar words
就是jiù shì: Summarizes what came before by stating its central point or conclusion simply.
也就是yě jiù shì: Makes an earlier explanation easier to understand by restating it in other words.
就是说jiù shì shuō: Clarifies the meaning of earlier content through an added restatement.
换句话说huàn jù huà shuō: Rephrases earlier content to explain it in another way.
Definition in Chinese
用来引出对前文的解释、总结或换言，表示下面的话与前述等同或更明确，相当于“也就是”“就是说”。yòng lái yǐn chū duì qián wén de jiě shì zǒng jié huò huàn yán biǎo shì xià miàn de huà yǔ qián shù děng tóng huò gèng míng què xiāng dāng yú yě jiù shì jiù shì shuō
Word origin
即 (jí, "that is") has an older sense of approaching or being close, and its connective use presents the next wording as closely tied to the preceding idea.
Usage tips
- For conversational learners, this word is useful for reading formal notices and explanations, but it may sound too written for relaxed daily talk.
Related words
- 即便jí biàneven ifconjunction
- 即刻jí kèimmediatelyadverb