Kilo Lingo

(zǎo jiù) - long ago, already by now in Mandarin

zǎojiù

Traditional: 早就

Line drawing of 早就
Coloured illustration of 早就
HSK 4
#854 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

long ago, already by now

Word origin

早就 (zǎojiù) 'long ago, already' joins 早 (zǎo, 'early') and 就 (jiù, 'then, already'). 早 shows the sun 日 over an early-position element; 就 'to come to, then' is a compound of 京 (jīng, 'high mound') and 尤 (yóu), conveying movement towards a place and hence 'right then'.

Origin
compound
Root
早 (zǎo, 'early') + 就 (jiù, 京 'mound' + 尤)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 早

Stroke order for 就

Examples

I knew it long ago.

She left long ago.

This problem was solved long ago.

I told you long ago.

He left the company long ago.

早就 (zǎo jiù) means long ago, already by now. It is used as an adverb in everyday Mandarin speech.

Used in

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This word is part of lesson 18.