就是…也…jiùshì... yě...

Hypothetical Concessive Structure 就是…也… (jiùshì... yě...): Even if... still...

Meaning: Even if... still... (colloquial equivalent of 即使…也…)

Pattern

At HSK 5, learners must recognize 就是…也… as a hypothetical concessive structure meaning "even if... still...", equivalent to 即使…也… (more formal) and 哪怕…也… (emphatic).
The first clause introduces an extreme hypothetical condition (often reinforced by 再 + Adj, e.g., 就是再贵 — "even if it is even more expensive"), and the second clause uses 也 to state that the decision or outcome will not change.
Be careful to distinguish this concessive 就是…也… from two other uses of 就是: (1) emphatic copula "is precisely" (他就是我们的老师), and (2) minor reservation "it's just that..." at the start of a second clause (味道倒是不错，就是有点咸).
In the concessive structure, 也 in the second clause is mandatory and cannot be replaced by

1
就是下大雨，我也要去看比赛。
Jiùshì xià dàyǔ, wǒ yě yào qù kàn bǐsài.
Even if it rains heavily, I will still go watch the match.
2
就是没有人帮忙，我也能完成这个任务。
Jiùshì méiyǒu rén bāngmáng, wǒ yě néng wánchéng zhège rènwu.
Even if no one helps, I can still complete this task.
3
就是再贵，他也要买这件衣服。
Jiùshì zài guì, tā yě yào mǎi zhè jiàn yīfu.

•Colloquial equivalent of 即使…也…; the second clause must contain 也 (never 但是).

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

•Replacing 也 with 但是 in the second clause (*就是下大雨，但是我也要去).

•Confusing concessive 就是…也… ("even if... still...") with emphatic 就是 ("is precisely") or adversative 就是 ("only that").

Combine Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Practice, Listening, Hanzi Writing, and Mock Exams at HSK 5 to master all skills together.