光…就…
… alone; just this one part already …
Structure
光（是） 一部分 ， （主语） 就 已经很多
What it means
'… alone; just this one part already …': picks out one part and says it alone is a lot, so the whole must be bigger still.
How it is built
光（是）+ one part，(subject) + 就 + amount: 光路上我就花了两个小时 (the journey alone took me two hours). Use 光是 before a longer phrase.
When to use it
Spoken; 光 here is the spoken form of 只 or 仅. The written equivalent is 仅…就…. Often followed by 更别说… (never mind …).
Watch out
就 goes after the subject of the second half, never before it: ✓光早饭他就吃了四个包子。 ✗光早饭就他吃了…。 Don't confuse it with 光 + verb, 'do nothing but': 光说不做.
Examples
光武汉一座城市，叫得出名字的早点就有几十种。
Wuhan alone has dozens of breakfasts with names of their own.
光路上我就花了两个小时，更别说排队了。
The journey alone took me two hours, never mind the queue.
他光早饭就吃了四个包子。
He ate four buns just for breakfast.
Learn this in Lesson 11 · HSK 5: 过早：一天从早餐开始 (Breakfast, city by city)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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