Expressing earliness with "jiu"

就 after a time word says it happened sooner than expected.

Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + 了

How it works

我昨晚八点半就睡觉了 — I was asleep by half eight, which is early. The 就 is what carries "already", "as early as".

Its opposite is 才, which marks lateness: 他十二点才睡觉.

The pattern needs the time word in front of 就, and normally a 了 at the end.

wǒ zuó wǎn bā diǎn bàn jiù shuì jiào le
我昨晚八点半就睡觉了。
I went to bed as early as half eight last night.
tā wǔ suì jiù huì shuō sān zhǒng yǔ yán
他五岁就会说三种语言。
He could speak three languages by the age of five.
wǒ qī diǎn jiù dào le
我七点就到了。
I got there at seven, early.