Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"
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<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | 才 (+ Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun | + | 才 (+ Verb) + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *你 <em>才</em> 二十 岁 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> èrshí suì | + | *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 人 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā gōngsī <em>cái</em> sān gè rén.</span><span class="trans">This company only has three employees.</span> | *这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 人 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā gōngsī <em>cái</em> sān gè rén.</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 | + | *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 RMB?</span> |
| − | *你 <em>才</em> | + | *你 <em>才</em> 吃 了 一 个 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> chī le yī gè? </span><span class="trans">You only ate one?</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> | ||
*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> | ||
| − | *你 才 一百 斤 | + | *你 才 一百 斤 ，还 说 要 减肥 ？<span class="expl">One "jin" = 500g</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ cái yī bǎi jīn, hái shuō yào jiǎnféi?</span><span class="trans">You're only 100 jin and you're talking about losing weight?</span> |
| − | *我 <em>才</em> | + | *我 <em>才</em> 玩 一会儿 ，让 我 再 玩 一会儿 吧 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cái</em> wán yīhuìr, ràng wǒ zài wán yīhuìr ba?</span><span class="trans">I only played for a short while. Can I play a little bit longer?</span> |
| − | *他们 认识 <em>才</em> 三 个 | + | *他们 结婚 了 ？可是 他们 认识 <em>才</em> 三 个 月 ！<span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiéhūn le? Kěshì tāmen rènshi <em>cái</em> sān gè yuè!</span><span class="trans">They got married? They've only knew each other for three months!</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | ==See | + | == See also == |
*[["Just" with "jiu"]] | *[["Just" with "jiu"]] | ||
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*[[Expressing lateness with "cai"]] | *[[Expressing lateness with "cai"]] | ||
| − | ==Sources and Further Readings== | + | == Sources and Further Readings == |
| − | ===Books=== | + | === Books === |
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (p. 302) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy] | * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (p. 302) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy] | ||
Revision as of 03:43, 12 December 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 的 工资 才 两 千 ？Your salary is only two thousand RMB?
- 你 才 吃 了 一 个 ？You only ate one?
- 她 才 来 上海 两 个 月 。She's only been in Shanghai for two months.
- 这 顿 饭 才 花 了 二十 块 。This meal only cost twenty kuai.
- 你 才 一百 斤 ，还 说 要 减肥 ？One "jin" = 500gYou're only 100 jin and you're talking about losing weight?
- 我 才 玩 一会儿 ，让 我 再 玩 一会儿 吧 ？I only played for a short while. Can I play a little bit longer?
- 他们 结婚 了 ？可是 他们 认识 才 三 个 月 ！They got married? They've only knew each other for three months!
See also
Sources and Further Readings
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (p. 302) →buy
