HSK 3
只要……就……
zhǐyào…… jiù……
as long as…
Structure
只要 + Condition/Requirement +就 + Result/Action
How it works
This structure is used to express a sufficient condition. '只要' introduces the necessary condition, while '就' introduces the result that will naturally follow if that condition is met.
Examples
只要努力，你就能学会汉语。
Zhǐyào nǔlì, nǐ jiù néng xuéhuì Hànyǔ.
As long as you work hard, you can learn Chinese.
只要明天不下雨，我们就去公园。
Zhǐyào míngtiān bù xiàyǔ, wǒmen jiù qù gōngyuán.
As long as it doesn't rain tomorrow, we will go to the park.
只要你喜欢，我就给你买。
Zhǐyào nǐ xǐhuān, wǒ jiù gěi nǐ mǎi.
As long as you like it, I will buy it for you.
Common mistakes
Forgetting to include '就' in the second clause is a frequent error; '只要' almost always requires '就' to complete the logic.
Tip
Think of '只要' as the 'minimum requirement'. If this one thing happens, the result is guaranteed.
More HSK 3 grammar
See 只要……就…… in real Chinese
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