就要

• Pinyin: jiù yào
• Hanzi breakdown: 就 (jiù) — then, at once; 要 (yào) — will, going to

Meaning

About to; will soon; on the point of. Indicates that something is going to happen in the very near future.

Used with 了 at the end of the sentence to emphasize that an event is imminent. Similar to 快要 but can be used with specific time expressions.

Examples

1. 飞机就要起飞了。 The plane is about to take off.
2. 他就要回国了。 He is about to go back to his country.
3. 电影就要开始了，快走吧。 The movie is about to start — let's go!

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, urgency, future events

Tone: anticipatory

Do Say

• 我就要毕业了。(I'm about to graduate.)
• 春天就要来了。(Spring is coming soon.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'我就要了去' (Don't put 了 in the middle — it goes at the end of the sentence: 我就要去了)

Origin & History

Compound of 就 (then, at once) and 要 (will, going to). Together they emphasize immediacy.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal