The exact meaning of 就 as a linking word

Question

I know 就 is a linking word in these sentences, but what's the exact meaning? I don't really know if it's rather "and" or "then", "and later", "immediately", "right away", "and right after that", "at once"... Help, please!

她又怕他不高兴，就哄他说

她穿上一件花裙子就上路了

大大小小的野兽吓得撒腿就跑

俩人商量了一阵， 就各自回家了

大家觉得他要做的工作太多，就把他那根扁担藏了起来

小马水也顾不上喝就跑开了

I've got a few additional questions too...

2. Sometimes a comma is put, sometimes isn't. Does the meaning depend on the comma?
3. If it doesn't, then which version is correct - with or without a comma?

Answer 1

The closest rendition of 就 into English is "and then" or "and straight away"; "then" can denote a temporal or a logical connection.

就 in sentences 1–4 can be read in the temporal sense, in sentences 1 and 5 in the logical sense. Sentence 6 is a little peculiar because the most natural translation would be "The pony could not even afford to take a sip of water before running way," but if you squint a bit, you could say that 就 here simply means one action is immediately followed by the other in time.

Here are several more examples of 就 as a logical connective:

• 要是我有錢就好了 "if only I were rich" (literally: if I have money, then it is good)
• 聽說她幸福快樂，我就安心了 "I am glad she is living happily ever after" (literally: I heard she lives happily, I am therefore relieved)
• 你睡一覺就舒服點了 "you will feel better after a night's sleep" (literally: you have one nap, then it will be a bit more comfortable); a temporal reading is also possible

The comma is optional in most cases; it is used for rhythm purposes when the second clause is too long. There are, however, are a few set phrases that do not use a comma, 撒腿就跑, 倒頭就睡, 見好就收, 一管就死, 一放就亂 being some of them. I am not sure if 束手就擒 falls under this category because 就 here could also mean "to reach (the state of being caught)."

The phrase "and later" would be closer to 然後, which has a stronger temporal sense.

Answer 2

就 has many meanings，it can be used as

Conj，verb ，prep，adv

Conj ： 就算你有钱，也不能乱花。 It means that even though you're rich ，you can't waste money

Verb： it means "close to" "approach" 就着灯看书 ＝靠近灯光看书

"devote oneself to" "go in for" 就业＝take up an occupation 就任＝take up one's post

Prep: 就目前来说，病人已经脱离危险了。 It means that ，by looking at the current situation

Adv: 我就要喝啤酒，it means i am eager to have a drink。

我就要吃那块糖🍬，it means i am eager to have that suger