Difference between revisions of "Comparing "gang" and "gangcai""
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== Both are used before the verb but have different meanings == | == Both are used before the verb but have different meanings == | ||
| − | === 刚 emphasizes | + | === 刚 emphasizes something happened not long ago === |
"刚" is actually an adverb, and it is placed in front of the verb. It emphasizes that the action just happened a very short time ago. It is similar to the English "just." | "刚" is actually an adverb, and it is placed in front of the verb. It emphasizes that the action just happened a very short time ago. It is similar to the English "just." | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| − | === 刚才 | + | === 刚才 emphasizes "just now" === |
| − | 刚才 is a time noun, and it expresses the time that passed is really short. If it is placed | + | 刚才 is a time noun, and it expresses that the time that has passed is really short. If it is placed before the verb, it emphasizes what happened in the time that has just passed. It is similar to the English "'''just now'''." |
==== Structure ==== | ==== Structure ==== | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 我 <em>刚才</em> 看 过 了，不 想 再 看 一 遍。<span class="trans">I just now | + | * 我 <em>刚才</em> 看 过 了，不 想 再 看 一 遍。<span class="trans">I saw it just now, and I don't want to see it again.</span> |
* 我 <em>刚才</em> 看到 他 了。<span class="trans">I just now saw him.</span> | * 我 <em>刚才</em> 看到 他 了。<span class="trans">I just now saw him.</span> | ||
| − | * 他 <em>刚才</em> 来 了。<span class="trans">He just now | + | * 他 <em>刚才</em> 来 了。<span class="trans">He came just now.</span> |
| + | <li class="o">我 觉得 现在 比 <em>刚才</em> 亮。</li> <span class="expl">(Here it's very clearly acting as a time noun.)</span><span class="trans">I think it's brighter now that just before.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
== 刚才 can be used as an attribute while 刚 cannot== | == 刚才 can be used as an attribute while 刚 cannot== | ||
| − | 刚才 can also | + | 刚才 can also directly modify a noun to indicate it is that one from "just now" or "just before." |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li class="o"><em>刚才</em> 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了。</li> <span class="trans">What just happened made people | + | <li class="o"><em>刚才</em> 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了。</li> <span class="trans">What just happened made people angry.</span> |
| − | + | <li class="x"><em>刚</em> 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了。</li> <span class="trans">Just thing makes people angry.</span> | |
| − | <li class="x"><em>刚</em> 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了。</li> <span class="trans">Just | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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== 刚 can be used as "Just" while 刚才 cannot== | == 刚 can be used as "Just" while 刚才 cannot== | ||
| − | 刚 is an adverb, and it can also spruce up an adjective. It has the same meaning as 刚刚. 刚才 cannot do this. | + | 刚 is an adverb, and it can also spruce up an adjective. It has the same meaning as 刚刚. (刚才 cannot do this.) |
| + | |||
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
*天 <em>刚</em> 晴。<span class="trans">The sky just became clear.</span> | *天 <em>刚</em> 晴。<span class="trans">The sky just became clear.</span> | ||
| − | *一 个 面包 <em>刚</em> 够 吃，多 一 个 更 好。<span class="trans">One bread is just enough, more is even better.</span> | + | *一 个 面包 <em>刚</em> 够 吃，多 一 个 更 好。<span class="trans">One pice of bread is just enough, one more is even better.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li class="x">我 <em>刚才</em> 回家。</li> | <li class="x">我 <em>刚才</em> 回家。</li> | ||
| − | <li class="o">我 <em>刚</em> 回家。 | + | <li class="o">我 <em>刚</em> 回家。<span class="trans">I just got home.</span></li> |
<li class="x">我 <em>刚才</em> 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。</li> | <li class="x">我 <em>刚才</em> 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。</li> | ||
| − | <li class="o">我 <em>刚</em> 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。 | + | <li class="o">我 <em>刚</em> 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。<span class="trans">Just a while ago, I didn't think up what to eat, now I just thought it up.</span></li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * A: 你 <em>刚才</em> 去 哪儿 了？<span class="trans">Where did you just now | + | * A: 你 <em>刚才</em> 去 哪儿 了？<span class="trans">Where did you go just now?</span> |
| − | * B: 我 <em>刚</em> 上 完 厕所。<span class="trans">I | + | * B: 我 <em>刚</em> 上 完 厕所。<span class="trans">I just got done in the bathroom.</span> |
| − | * A: 那 你 | + | * A: 那 你 不 知道 <em>刚才</em> 的 事情 吧？<span class="trans">Then you don't know what just now happened?</span> |
* B: 是 不 是 有人 吵架 了？<span class="trans">Did some people start arguing?</span> | * B: 是 不 是 有人 吵架 了？<span class="trans">Did some people start arguing?</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 13:32, 12 August 2013
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
刚 (gāng) and 刚才 (gāngcái) are similar, but they have somewhat different uses.
Contents
Both are used before the verb but have different meanings
刚 emphasizes something happened not long ago
"刚" is actually an adverb, and it is placed in front of the verb. It emphasizes that the action just happened a very short time ago. It is similar to the English "just."
Structure
刚 + Verb
Examples
- 我 刚 说过，不 想 再 说 一 遍。I just said it, and I don't want to say it again.
- 我 刚 看到 他。I just saw him.
- 他 刚 来。He just came.
刚才 emphasizes "just now"
刚才 is a time noun, and it expresses that the time that has passed is really short. If it is placed before the verb, it emphasizes what happened in the time that has just passed. It is similar to the English "just now."
Structure
刚才 + Verb
Examples
- 我 刚才 看 过 了，不 想 再 看 一 遍。I saw it just now, and I don't want to see it again.
- 我 刚才 看到 他 了。I just now saw him.
- 他 刚才 来 了。He came just now.
刚才 can be used as an attribute while 刚 cannot
刚才 can also directly modify a noun to indicate it is that one from "just now" or "just before."
Structure
刚才 + 的 + Noun
Examples
- 刚才 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了。 What just happened made people angry.
- 刚 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了。 Just thing makes people angry.
刚 can be used as "Just" while 刚才 cannot
刚 is an adverb, and it can also spruce up an adjective. It has the same meaning as 刚刚. (刚才 cannot do this.)
Structure
刚 + Adjective
Examples
- 天 刚 晴。The sky just became clear.
- 一 个 面包 刚 够 吃，多 一 个 更 好。One pice of bread is just enough, one more is even better.
Examples of right and wrong sentences
- 我 刚才 回家。
- 我 刚 回家。I just got home.
- 我 刚才 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。
- 我 刚 没 想好 吃 什么，现在 我 想好 了。Just a while ago, I didn't think up what to eat, now I just thought it up.
Example dialog
- A: 你 刚才 去 哪儿 了？Where did you go just now?
- B: 我 刚 上 完 厕所。I just got done in the bathroom.
- A: 那 你 不 知道 刚才 的 事情 吧？Then you don't know what just now happened?
- B: 是 不 是 有人 吵架 了？Did some people start arguing?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (刚 p.216) →buy
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (刚才 p.217) →buy
- 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (p.28) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 40- 2) →buy
- 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (p. 239) →buy
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p.446) →buy
