刚
gāng
Just, barely
How to say “just” in Chinese with 刚 (gāng)
Subj. + 刚 (gāng) + Verb Phrase (+ 了 (le))
刚 (gāng) — just happened
HSK 4Adverbs
Subj. + 刚 (gāng) + Verb Phrase (+ 了 (le))
HSK 4Adverbs刚 (gāng) — just happened
Rule structure
刚 (gāng) means "just (a moment ago)". It emphasizes that the action occurred very recently. 刚刚 (gāng gāng) is the emphatic form.
Rule structure
刚 (gāng) means "just (a moment ago)". It emphasizes that the action occurred very recently. 刚刚 (gāng gāng) is the emphatic form.
Examples
我刚到家。
Wǒ gāng dào jiā.
I just arrived home.
他刚出门。
Tā gāng chūmén.
He just went out.
我刚吃饭。
Wǒ gāng chīfàn.
I just ate.
Examples
我刚到家。
Wǒ gāng dào jiā.
I just arrived home.
他刚出门。
Tā gāng chūmén.
He just went out.
我刚吃饭。
Wǒ gāng chīfàn.
I just ate.
Practice
Build the sentence
Drag the characters to put them in the correct order
Characters
Words from this rule
了
le
Particle (completed action or change of state)
我
wǒ
I, me
到
dào
To arrive, to reach (resultative complement after verbs)
家
jiā
Family, home; measure word for businesses and establishments
他
tā
He
出门
chū mén
To go out, to leave home
吃
chī
To eat
饭
fàn
Meal, food; cooked rice
完
wán
To finish (post-verbal resultative particle)
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “just happened” in Chinese with 刚?
Use the structure: Subj. + 刚 (gāng) + Verb Phrase (+ 了 (le)). For example: 我刚到家。 — “I just arrived home”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
我刚到家。 — “I just arrived home”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 4.
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More HSK 4 grammar rules
原来 — it turns out, originally
Subj. + 原来 (yuánlái) + Predicate
千万 — don't, whatever you do
千万 (qiānwàn) + (别 (bié) / 不 (bù)) + Verb
正好 — just in time, coincidence
Subj. + 正好 (zhènghǎo) + Verb / Adj.
不得不 — have to, forced to
Subj. + 不得不 (bùdébù) + Verb Phrase
也 都 — also all
Subj. + 也 (yě) + 都 (dōu) + Verb
究竟 — in the end
究竟 (jiūjìng) + Question word / Question
恐怕 — I'm afraid that...
恐怕 (kǒngpà) + Clause
从来 — never in negative contexts
从来 (cónglái) + 都 (dōu)/也 (yě) + 不 (bù)/没 (méi) + Verb / Adj.