将就

將就

jiāngjiu

verb HSK 7-9 #74,946

Meanings

1 to make do with
2 to put up with
3 to settle for

Characters

to accept; to go along with

Examples

HSK 1

今天没好菜，将就吃吧。

Jīntiān méi hǎo cài, jiāngjiu chī ba.

There's no great food today, just make do.

HSK 4

他不愿意在感情上将就。

Tā bú yuànyì zài gǎnqíng shàng jiāngjiu.

He doesn't want to settle in love.

HSK 5

条件有限，你将就一下。

Tiáojiàn yǒuxiàn, nǐ jiāngjiu yíxià.

Conditions are limited, please make do.

Tips

usage

将就 (note the neutral tone on 就) has become a buzzword in modern Chinese romance discourse: 不将就 ('not settling') is the millennial mantra for refusing imperfect partners. Both Li Ronghao (李荣浩) and Eason Chan (陈奕迅) duetted the 2016 hit 《不将就》.

mistakes

Don't read 将 as 'jiàng' (general). Here it's 'jiāng' (the more common reading). 就 here is unstressed (neutral tone).

In Pop Culture

《不将就》《 Bù Jiāngjiu 》

'Not Settling'

2016 hit by Li Ronghao (李荣浩), theme song of the film 《何以笙箫默》, which made 不将就 a slogan for refusing to compromise in love.

Stroke Order

将 jiāng

就 jiù