The exact meaning of 就 as a linking word I know 就 is a linking word in these sentences, but what's the exact meaning? I don't really know if it's rather &quot;and&quot; or &quot;then&quot;, &quot;and later&quot;, &quot;immediately&quot;, &quot;right away&quot;, &quot;and right after that&quot;, &quot;at once&quot;... Help, please!

她又怕他不高兴，就哄他说


她穿上一件花裙子就上路了


大大小小的野兽吓得撒腿就跑


俩人商量了一阵， 就各自回家了


大家觉得他要做的工作太多，就把他那根扁担藏了起来


小马水也顾不上喝就跑开了

I've got a few additional questions too...

Sometimes a comma is put, sometimes isn't. Does the meaning depend on the comma?
If it doesn't, then which version is correct - with or without a comma?
The closest rendition of 就 into English is &quot;and then&quot; or &quot;and straight away&quot;; &quot;then&quot; can denote a temporal or a logical connection.
就 in sentences 1–4 can be read in the temporal sense, in sentences 1 and 5 in the logical sense. Sentence 6 is a little peculiar because the most natural translation would be &quot;The pony could not even afford to take a sip of water before running way,&quot; but if you squint a bit, you could say that 就 here simply means one action is immediately followed by the other in time.
Here are several more examples of 就 as a logical connective:

要是我有錢就好了 &quot;if only I were rich&quot; (literally: if I have money, then it is good)
聽說她幸福快樂，我就安心了 &quot;I am glad she is living happily ever after&quot; (literally: I heard she lives happily, I am therefore relieved)
你睡一覺就舒服點了 &quot;you will feel better after a night's sleep&quot; (literally: you have one nap, then it will be a bit more comfortable); a temporal reading is also possible

The comma is optional in most cases; it is used for rhythm purposes when the second clause is too long. There are, however, are a few set phrases that do not use a comma, 撒腿就跑, 倒頭就睡, 見好就收, 一管就死, 一放就亂 being some of them. I am not sure if 束手就擒 falls under this category because 就 here could also mean &quot;to reach (the state of being caught).&quot;
The phrase &quot;and later&quot; would be closer to 然後, which has a stronger temporal sense.