Expressing lateness with "cai"

One of the ways to express lateness in Chinese is with 才 (cái).

Structure

To express that something happened later than expected, you can use 才.

Subject + Time + 才 + Verb + Object

In English this might be expressed with "as late as" or "not until." This form is often used with a time number of some sort, like a specific time, age etc.

Examples

• 我们 十点 上课，可是 他 十点一刻 才 来。Wǒmen shí diǎn shàngkè, kěshì tā shí diǎn yī kè cái lái.We have class at 10 o'clock, but he didn't come until 10:15.
• 昨天 晚上 我的 女儿 一点半 才 回家。Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ de nǚ'ér yīdiǎn bàn cái huí jiā.My daughter didn't get home until 1:30 last night.
• 他 二十五岁 才 大学毕业。Tā èrshíwǔ suì cái dàxué bìyè.He didn't graduate from college until he was 25.

Note that verbs following 才 cannot take 了，as the action does not have the sense of being completed. So, in the above situation, it is wrong to say:

• 昨天 晚上 我的 女儿 一点半 才 回家 了 。Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ de nǚ'ér yīdiǎn bàn cái huí jiā le.

See also

• Expressing earliness with "jiu"
• Comparing "cai" and "jiu"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 117-8) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 139) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 239)→buy

Websites

• East Asia Student: 就 and 才 in Mandarin: as early as, not until