即

• Pinyin: jí
• Hanzi breakdown: 即 = 皀 (fragrant millet) + 卩 (kneeling person) — originally depicted a person about to eat, meaning 'to be on the verge of/namely'

Meaning

That is; namely; immediately; as soon as. A formal connector meaning 'that is to say' or 'right away'.

Highly versatile in formal written Chinese. As a connector: 即 means 'namely/that is' (与其说A，不如说B). As a temporal adverb: 即将 (about to), 即刻 (immediately). In legal/official text: 即日起 (effective from this day). Less common in speech.

Examples

1. 本条款所称违约行为，即指合同任何一方未能按约定履行其明确规定的合同义务的情形。 For purposes of this clause, a breach refers to any situation in which either party fails to perform a clearly specified contractual obligation as agreed.
2. 会议结束后，全体与会人员即刻前往指定地点参加现场考察，不得无故缺席或提前离开。 After the meeting ends, all attendees must proceed immediately to the designated location for the on-site visit and may not be absent without cause or leave early.
3. 所谓知行合一，即强调理论认识与实际行动须高度统一，不可相互割裂或彼此矛盾。 Unity of knowledge and action' means that theoretical understanding and practical action must be highly aligned and must not be separated or contradict each other.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, academic, official documents

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 合同中所指甲方，即本协议的发起方及主要权利享有方，须对项目全周期的合规经营承担最终法律责任。(The 'Party A' referred to in the contract, namely the initiating party and primary rights holder of this agreement, shall bear ultimate legal responsibility for compliant operations throughout the full project lifecycle.)
• 他所倡导的简约主义设计理念，即以最少的元素传达最丰富的信息，已成为当代平面设计领域的重要思想流派。(The minimalist design philosophy he advocates — namely conveying the richest information with the fewest elements — has become an important school of thought in contemporary graphic design.)

Don't Say

• 我即去 — use 我马上去 in speech; 即 as a standalone temporal adverb is only natural in very formal written or literary contexts

Origin & History

即 = 皀 + 卩 (a person leaning toward food — to approach/be at the point of)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal