久 jiǔ long time
long (time)
How it came to be
A person seen from the side with a mark pressed against them from behind, holding them where they are. Being kept in one place is the picture; how long you are kept is the word.
How it is used
- Refers to a long duration of time - 很久 (hěn jiǔ) a long time, 好久不见 (hǎojiǔ bú jiàn) long time no see.
- 不久 (bùjiǔ) means 'before long / soon,' either just past or just ahead: 不久以后 (bùjiǔ yǐhòu) soon after.
- Only about time - for long distance/length use 长 (cháng), not 久.
- Formal/enduring compounds: 悠久 (yōujiǔ) age-old (of history/culture), 永久 (yǒngjiǔ) permanent, 持久 (chíjiǔ) lasting.
Characters built with 久
Words with 久
- 不久bùjiǔnot long (after)HSK 3
- 好久hǎojiǔquite a whileHSK 3
- 久远jiǔyuǎnoldHSK 5
- 悠久yōujiǔlong (tradition, history etc)HSK 5
- 长久chángjiǔlong-timeHSK 5
- 持久chíjiǔlastingHSK 6
- 天长地久tiāncháng-dìjiǔenduring while the world lasts (idiom)HSK 7
- 永久yǒngjiǔeverlastingHSK 7
- 经久不息jīngjiǔ-bùxīprolonged (applause, cheering etc)HSK 7
- 久仰jiǔyǎnghonorific: I've long looked forward to meeting you.HSK 8
- 久违jiǔwéifor a long timeHSK 8
Example sentences
- 我们等了很久。 Wǒmen děngle hěn jiǔ.We've been waiting a long time.
- 长城的历史很悠久。 Chángchéng de lìshǐ hěn yōujiǔ.The Great Wall has a very long history.