A 就 A（吧）
so be it; if it is A, let it be A (accepting what you cannot change)
Structure
A 就 A （吧） ， 反正／只要…
What it means
“So be it”: you accept something you cannot change and say it does not matter.
How it is built
A + 就 + A（吧）, then why it does not matter, often with 反正 or 只要…就行: 贵就贵吧，质量好就行 (so it’s expensive; as long as it’s good quality, fine).
When to use it
Spoken and a little resigned; with 呗 instead of 吧 it sounds more offhand. A can be an adjective (丑就丑) or a verb phrase (不来就不来, 走就走).
Watch out
✗ 丑就难看吧 ✓ 丑就丑吧: both halves must be the same word. Do not mix it up with A 就 A 在…, which explains what makes something A: 难就难在没有时间.
Examples
丑就丑吧，反正是她自己的头发。
If it looks awful, so be it; it is her own hair, after all.
贵就贵吧，质量好就行。
So it’s expensive; as long as it’s good quality, that’s fine.
他不来就不来吧，我们自己去。
If he won’t come, then he won’t; we’ll go on our own.
Learn this in Lesson 49 · HSK 5–6: 代沟 (The generation gap)
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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