Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"
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*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> | *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 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 的 工资 <em>才</em> 两 千 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān?</span><span class="trans">Your salary is only two thousand | + | *你 的 工资 <em>才</em> 两 千 ？<span class="expl">Probably RMB, per month</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ de gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān?</span><span class="trans">Your salary is only two thousand?</span> |
*这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 二十 块 ，太 便宜 了 ！<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> èrshí kuài. Tài piányi le!</span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai. It's too cheap!</span> | *这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 二十 块 ，太 便宜 了 ！<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> èrshí kuài. Tài piányi le!</span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai. It's too cheap!</span> | ||
*你 <em>才</em> 一百 斤 ，还 要 减肥 ？<span class="expl">One "jin" = 500g</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> yī bǎi jīn, hái yào jiǎnféi?</span><span class="trans">You're only 100 jin and you still want to lose some weight?</span> | *你 <em>才</em> 一百 斤 ，还 要 减肥 ？<span class="expl">One "jin" = 500g</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> yī bǎi jīn, hái yào jiǎnféi?</span><span class="trans">You're only 100 jin and you still want to lose some weight?</span> | ||
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才 + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Noun | 才 + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Noun | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | In this pattern, adding a 了 after the verb is optional. | ||
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *她 <em>才</em> 来 两 个 月 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cái</em> lái liǎng gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">She's been | + | *她 <em>才</em> 来 了 两 个 月 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cái</em> lái le liǎng gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">She's been here for only two months.</span> |
| − | *这 家 店 关门 了 ？可是 它 <em>才</em> 开业 一 个 星期 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā diàn guānmén le? Kěshì tā | + | *这 家 店 关门 了 ？可是 它 <em>才</em> 开业 一 个 星期 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā diàn guānmén le? Kěshì tā <em>cái</em> kāiyè yī gè xīngqī.</span><span class="trans">This shop is out of business? But it's only been one week since it opened.</span> |
| − | *已经 | + | *已经 两 天 了 ，你 <em>才</em> 看完 一 页 ？<span class="pinyin">Yǐjīng liǎng tiān le, nǐ <em>cái</em> kàn wán yī yè?</span><span class="trans">It's been two days and you only finished reading one page?</span> |
| − | *我们 <em>才</em> 玩 一会儿 ，再 玩 一会儿 吧 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>cái</em> wán yīhuìr, zài wán yīhuìr ba?</span><span class="trans">We only played for a short while. Can we play a little bit longer?</span> | + | *我们 <em>才</em> 玩 了 一会儿 ，再 玩 一会儿 吧 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>cái</em> wán le yīhuìr, zài wán yīhuìr ba?</span><span class="trans">We've only played for a short while. Can we play a little bit longer?</span> |
| − | *他们 结婚 了 ？他们 <em>才</em> 认识 三 个 月 ！<span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiéhūn le? Tāmen <em>cái</em> rènshi sān gè yuè!</span><span class="trans">They got married? They've only | + | *他们 结婚 了 ？他们 <em>才</em> 认识 三 个 月 ！<span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiéhūn le? Tāmen <em>cái</em> rènshi sān gè yuè!</span><span class="trans">They got married? They've only known each other for three months!</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]] | [[Category:B1 grammar points]] | ||
| + | {{HSK|HSK3}} | ||
[[Category: Adverbs]] | [[Category: Adverbs]] | ||
Latest revision as of 08:29, 17 April 2019
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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.
Contents
Used as a Verb
Structure
In this case, 才 means "is only" or "only have."
才 + 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 个 班 才 两 个 学生 。 This class only has two students.
- 你 的 工资 才 两 千 ？Probably RMB, per monthYour salary is only two thousand?
- 这 顿 饭 才 二十 块 ，太 便宜 了 ！This meal only cost twenty kuai. It's too cheap!
- 你 才 一百 斤 ，还 要 减肥 ？One "jin" = 500gYou're only 100 jin and you still want to lose some weight?
Used with a Verb
Structure
才 + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Noun
In this pattern, adding a 了 after the verb is optional.
Examples
- 她 才 来 了 两 个 月 。She's been here for only two months.
- 这 家 店 关门 了 ？可是 它 才 开业 一 个 星期 。This shop is out of business? But it's only been one week since it opened.
- 已经 两 天 了 ，你 才 看完 一 页 ？It's been two days and you only finished reading one page?
- 我们 才 玩 了 一会儿 ，再 玩 一会儿 吧 ？We've only played for a short while. Can we play a little bit longer?
- 他们 结婚 了 ？他们 才 认识 三 个 月 ！They got married? They've only known each other for three months!
