也就是说 — That Is to Say | Chinese (Mandarin) Grammar

When you write "i.e." or say "in other words," you're not adding a new fact — you're restating the one you just gave, either in plainer words or by spelling out what it implies. Mandarin's device for this is 也就是说 (yě jiùshì shuō), with its lighter short form 就是说 (jiùshì shuō). It is the spoken and written "i.e.": it takes the previous clause and reformulates it — that is to say, which means, in other words. The single most important fact about it, and the one English speakers most often get wrong, is that it restates; it never introduces fresh information. If you're adding a point, you want 另外 or 而且; if you're giving an example, you want 比如. 也就是说 only re-expresses what's already on the table.

What 也就是说 does: reword or draw out the implication

The reformulation always follows 也就是说, and it always concerns the clause before it. There are two flavours, and both are "same information, said differently":

Use	What follows 也就是说	English
paraphrase / define	the same fact in clearer words	that is, in other words
draw out an implication	the consequence that follows	which means, so

他没来，也就是说会议取消了。

tā méi lái, yě jiùshì shuō huìyì qǔxiāo le

He didn't come, which means the meeting's off. (neutral) — spells out the implication of the first clause.

这是净收入，也就是说已经扣了税。

zhè shì jìng shōurù, yě jiùshì shuō yǐjīng kòu le shuì

This is net income — that is, tax has already been deducted. (neutral) — defines the term just used.

他是我妈的弟弟，也就是说是我舅舅。

tā shì wǒ mā de dìdi, yě jiùshì shuō shì wǒ jiùjiu

He's my mom's younger brother — that is, my uncle. (informal) — restates a relationship in a single word.

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The test: can you swap in "i.e." or "which means" and keep the sentence true without new facts? Then 也就是说 fits. If you'd say "e.g." or "for instance," you want 比如 instead — that adds an illustration, which is different work.

Spelling out consequences

The implication use is extremely handy in daily life: someone states a plain fact, and 也就是说 unpacks what it means for us. It turns raw information into its practical upshot, which is why it so often precedes a "we need to…" or "so we can't…" conclusion.

五点关门，就是说我们得快点。

wǔ diǎn guānmén, jiùshì shuō wǒmen děi kuài diǎn

It closes at five, so we need to hurry. (informal) — the short form 就是说 drawing out the upshot.

房租押一付三，也就是说你现在得交四个月。

fángzū yā yī fù sān, yě jiùshì shuō nǐ xiànzài děi jiāo sì ge yuè

One month's deposit plus three months upfront — meaning you pay four months now. (neutral) — makes the arithmetic explicit.

打八折，也就是说便宜二十块。

dǎ bā zhé, yě jiùshì shuō piányi èrshí kuài

Twenty percent off — in other words, twenty yuan cheaper. (informal) — restates the discount in money terms.

——名额满了。——就是说我们没希望了？

— míng'é mǎn le. — jiùshì shuō wǒmen méi xīwàng le?

— The spots are full. — So you mean we've got no chance? (informal) — using 就是说 to confirm an implication back to the speaker.

也就是说 vs 就是说: register and a spoken second life

The two are the same reformulator; the difference is weight. 也就是说 is a touch fuller and more deliberate — the natural choice in writing and careful speech. 就是说 is lighter and more colloquial. Be aware of one wrinkle: in casual conversation 就是说 leads a double life as a hesitation filler, roughly English "I mean… / like…", where it's not really rewording anything (see hesitation fillers). The reformulating meaning and the filler are the same syllables doing two jobs — context tells them apart.

截止到今天，也就是说明天就晚了。

jiézhǐ dào jīntiān, yě jiùshì shuō míngtiān jiù wǎn le

The deadline is today — meaning tomorrow is already too late. (neutral) — the full form in careful speech.

Common Mistakes

1. Using 也就是说 to add a new point. It rewords; it doesn't append. A fresh item needs 另外 or 而且.

❌ 我买了菜，也就是说还买了水果。

This adds an item, not a restatement — use 另外: 我买了菜，另外还买了水果.

✅ 我买了菜，另外还买了水果。

wǒ mǎi le cài, lìngwài hái mǎi le shuǐguǒ

I bought vegetables, and fruit as well. — 另外 adds; 也就是说 only rewords.

2. Using it to give an example. An illustration is the job of 比如, not the reformulating 也就是说.

❌ 我喜欢水果，也就是说苹果、香蕉。

These are examples, not a restatement — use 比如: 我喜欢水果，比如苹果、香蕉.

✅ 我喜欢水果，比如苹果、香蕉。

wǒ xǐhuan shuǐguǒ, bǐrú píngguǒ, xiāngjiāo

I like fruit — apples and bananas, for example. — 比如 gives instances; 也就是说 rewords a statement.

3. Reversing the direction. 也就是说 restates what came before it; the reworded version comes after. Don't front the conclusion.

❌ 也就是说会议取消了，他没来。

Back to front — the fact comes first, the restatement after: 他没来，也就是说会议取消了.

✅ 他没来，也就是说会议取消了。

tā méi lái, yě jiùshì shuō huìyì qǔxiāo le

He didn't come, which means the meeting is off. — fact first, restatement second.

4. Leaving 就是说 in as an empty filler in writing. In careful prose, keep the full 也就是说 for the "i.e." meaning and cut the conversational 就是说 filler.

❌ 我觉得，就是说，这样不太好。

Filler use — in writing, drop it: 我觉得这样不太好.

✅ 我觉得这样不太好。

wǒ juéde zhèyàng bú tài hǎo

I don't think this is a good idea. — no filler; the reformulating 也就是说 is a different, meaningful use.

Key Takeaways

也就是说 / 就是说 = "that is / in other words / which means" — the spoken and written "i.e."
It reformulates the prior clause — rewording it or spelling out its implication — and never adds new information.
The restatement comes after it; the fact it rewords comes before.
For a fresh point use 另外 / 而且; for an example use 比如; to condense several points into a takeaway use 总之.
也就是说 is fuller and better in writing; 就是说 is lighter and also lives a second life as a spoken hesitation filler ("I mean…").

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