Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"
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The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected. | The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected. | ||
| − | ==Structure== | + | == Structure == |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | |||
才 (+ Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun | 才 (+ Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun | ||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small. | In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small. | ||
| − | ==Examples== | + | == Examples == |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 你 <em>才</em> 二十 | + | *你 <em>才</em> 二十 岁 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> èrshí suì.</span><span class="trans">You're only twenty? </span> |
| − | * 这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 | + | *这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 人 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā gōngsī <em>cái</em> sān gè yuángōng.</span><span class="trans">This company only has three employees.</span> |
| − | * 这 个 班 <em>才</em> 两 个 学生 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège bān <em>cái</em> liǎng gè xuéshēng.</span><span class="trans">This class only has two students.</span> | + | *这 个 班 <em>才</em> 两 个 学生 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège bān <em>cái</em> liǎng gè xuéshēng.</span><span class="trans">This class only has two students.</span> |
| − | * | + | *你 男朋友 工资 <em>才</em> 两 千 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān?</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend's salary is only two thousand RMB?</span> |
| − | * 你 <em>才</em> | + | *你 <em>才</em> 捐 十块 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> juān shí kuài? </span><span class="trans">You only donated ten kuai?</span> |
| − | * 她 <em>才</em> 来 上海 两 个 月。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cái</em> lái Shànghǎi liǎng gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">She's only been in Shanghai for two months.</span> | + | *她 <em>才</em> 来 上海 两 个 月。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cái</em> lái Shànghǎi liǎng gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">She's only been in Shanghai for two months.</span> |
| − | * 我们 <em>才</em> 看 完 一 页 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>cái</em> kàn wán yī yè.</span><span class="trans">We only finished reading one page.</span> | + | *我们 <em>才</em> 看 完 一 页 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>cái</em> kàn wán yī yè.</span><span class="trans">We only finished reading one page.</span> |
| − | * 这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 花 了 二十 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> huā le èrshí kuài.</span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai.</span> | + | *这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 花 了 二十 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> huā le èrshí kuài.</span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai.</span> |
| − | * 他们 认识 <em>才</em> 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>cái</em> sān gè xīngqī jiù jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married.</span> | + | *他们 认识 <em>才</em> 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>cái</em> sān gè xīngqī jiù jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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[[Category: Adverbs]] | [[Category: Adverbs]] | ||
| − | {{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + Measure Word + Noun| | + | {{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + Measure Word + Noun|这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 人 。|grammar point|ASGYW5RS}} |
{{Similar|"Just" with "jiu"}} | {{Similar|"Just" with "jiu"}} | ||
{{POS|Adverbs}} | {{POS|Adverbs}} | ||
{{Used for| Expressing quantity}} | {{Used for| Expressing quantity}} | ||
{{Used for|Emphasizing}} | {{Used for|Emphasizing}} | ||
Revision as of 01:44, 1 September 2017
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.
Structure
才 (+ Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun
In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small.
Examples
- 你 才 二十 岁 ？You're only twenty?
- 这 家 公司 才 三 个 人 。This company only has three employees.
- 这 个 班 才 两 个 学生 。 This class only has two students.
- 你 男朋友 工资 才 两 千 ？Your boyfriend's salary is only two thousand RMB?
- 你 才 捐 十块 ？You only donated ten kuai?
- 她 才 来 上海 两 个 月。She's only been in Shanghai for two months.
- 我们 才 看 完 一 页 。 We only finished reading one page.
- 这 顿 饭 才 花 了 二十 块 。This meal only cost twenty kuai.
- 他们 认识 才 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了。They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married.
See Also
Sources and Further Readings
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (p. 302) →buy
