Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
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 == | + | == Used as "Only Have"== |
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | 才 | + | 才 + 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 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 RMB?</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 RMB?</span> | ||
| − | + | *这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 二十 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> èrshí kuài.</span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai.</span> | |
| − | *这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> | + | *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're talking about losing weight?</span> |
| − | *你 <em>才</em> 一百 斤 ，还 | + | |
| − | *这 家 店 关门 了 ？可是 它 | + | </div> |
| − | * | + | |
| − | *他们 结婚 了 | + | == Used as "Only Have"== |
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | 才 + Verb + Number (+ Measure Word) + Noun | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <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 only been in Shanghai for 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 kāiyè <em>cái</em> 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 两天 了 ，你 <em>才</em> 看完 一 页 ？<span class="pinyin">Yǐjīng liǎngtiān 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> | ||
| + | *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 knew each other for three months!</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 43: | Line 60: | ||
[[Category: Adverbs]] | [[Category: Adverbs]] | ||
| − | {{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + Measure Word + Noun|这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 人 。|grammar point|ASGYW5RS}} | + | {{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + Number + [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 02:34, 4 January 2018
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.
Contents
Used as "Only Have"
Structure
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 ？Your salary is only two thousand RMB?
- 这 顿 饭 才 二十 块 。This meal only cost twenty kuai.
- 你 才 一百 斤 ，还 要 减肥 ？One "jin" = 500gYou're only 100 jin and you're talking about losing weight?
Used as "Only Have"
Structure
才 + Verb + Number (+ Measure Word) + Noun
Examples
- 她 才 来 两 个 月 。She's only been in Shanghai for 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 一会儿 ，再 玩 一会儿 吧 ？We 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 knew each other for three months!
