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Using 就是说 and 这就是说 to Clarify and Draw Conclusions (HSK 4)
The fixed phrases 就是说 (jiùshì shuō) and 这就是说 (zhè jiùshì shuō) correspond to English expressions like 'that is to say', 'in other words', or 'this means that'. They connect an initial statement or fact to a clearer restatement or a logical consequence.
今天是星期五，会议推迟到下周三，就是说我们还有五天准备材料。
就是说 converts a calendar change into its practical time implication.
Read the full explanation and examples
Core Meaning and Syllabus Scope
In the supplied HSK 4 grammar outline, 就是说 and 这就是说 are grouped together under fixed phrases (固定短语) in the 'other' (其他) subcategory. Both expressions function as discourse connectors that bridge what was just stated with what that statement actually means in practice.
Rather than introducing brand-new, unrelated facts, these phrases unpack the previous clause. Depending on the context, they translate naturally into English as 'that is to say', 'in other words', 'namely', or 'this means that'. They help listeners or readers see the concrete result or simpler wording of an earlier point.
Using 就是说 for Restatement and Practical Meaning
就是说 literally combines 就是 (is precisely) with 说 (to say). It sits between an initial statement and a follow-up clause that translates that statement into plainer language, a specific number, or an immediate practical consequence. A comma normally precedes 就是说, and a pause or comma may follow it when the second clause is long.
今天是星期五，会议推迟到下周三，就是说我们还有五天准备材料。
就是说 converts a calendar change into its practical time implication.
这家店实行全场半价优惠，就是说所有商品都打五折。
就是说 restates a formal phrase (半价优惠) using an everyday shopping expression (打五折).
The first example supplies today’s day of the week before calculating five days. The second specifies 全场 (“throughout the shop”), which supports the statement about all goods. 就是说 presents the restatement or inference; it does not make an unsupported conclusion true.
Using 这就是说 to Draw a Logical Conclusion
Adding the demonstrative pronoun 这 (this) at the beginning creates 这就是说 ('this is to say' or 'this means that'). Here, 这 refers back to the entire preceding fact, observation, or statement as a package. Because it points directly to a whole situation, 这就是说 is especially common when deducing a logical conclusion or confirming an implication in conversation.
入选名单上没有他的名字，这就是说他没有通过这次选拔。
这就是说 points back to the observed fact and draws the logical conclusion.
周六全天停电？这就是说我们不能在办公室加班了？
Used at the start of a response sentence to check the consequence of new information.
Both 就是说 and 这就是说 can start a new sentence or a response. Adding 这 explicitly points back to the previous situation; omitting it does not make the response unnatural. Choose according to emphasis and flow.
Nuances and Useful Contrasts
- 就是说 vs. 这就是说: both introduce a clarification or implication, including at the start of a response. 这 makes the reference to the earlier situation explicit.
- Connection to 也就是说: In everyday speech and writing, you will also frequently encounter 也就是说 ('which is to say'). It shares nearly the same function as 就是说, though the syllabus item here focuses specifically on the base forms 就是说 and 这就是说.
- Contrast with 比如说: 比如说 offers examples from a wider set. 就是说 clarifies what the speaker means or draws an implication; the two parts need not be logical definitions of each other.
我喜欢吃南方的水果，比如说芒果和荔枝。
Contrast example: 比如说 introduces partial examples rather than an equivalent restatement.
比如说 makes it clear that mangoes and lychees are examples of southern fruit. With 就是说, the speaker would instead be clarifying which fruit they mean in that statement. That does not automatically define every southern fruit as one of those two kinds.
Distinguish the Connector from Emphatic 就是 + 说
To report a message neutrally, use 说. In a sequence such as 经理昨天就是说……, 就是 can instead emphasize exactly what the manager said. Judge this by context; the presence of a person and time phrase does not make the sequence ungrammatical.
经理昨天就是说他下周要去上海出差。
Here 就是 emphasizes what the manager said, with 说 as the reporting verb. The sentence can be grammatical in an emphatic context; it is not an example of the restatement connector between two propositions.
经理昨天说他下周要去上海出差。
A neutral report using 说, without the extra emphasis of 就是. The business trip, person and time remain the same.
Keep the functions apart: 就是说 as a connector restates or interprets a prior statement, whereas 就是 + 说 may emphasize the act or content of speaking. Emphasis does not have to indicate stubbornness. The two examples illustrate emphatic and neutral reporting rather than an error and its correction.
Frequently asked questions
Do I always need a comma after 就是说 or 这就是说?
A comma before the phrase (or a period before 这就是说) is standard. A comma right after 就是说 or 这就是说 is optional: writers often include it after 这就是说 to mark a clear pause before the conclusion, and omit it after 就是说 when the following clause is short.
Which phrase is better at the very beginning of a new sentence?
Both can start a new sentence or speaking turn. 这就是说 explicitly points back to the preceding situation; 就是说 is also natural, especially when checking what someone means.
Can 这就是说 be used in a question?
Yes. Listeners often use 这就是说 with rising intonation or a question particle to confirm whether their deduction about what the other person just said is accurate.
