Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"
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| − | * 这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 员工 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā gōngsī <em>cái</em> sān gè yuángōng. </span><span class="trans">This company only has three employees.</span> | + | * 这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 员工 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā gōngsī <em>cái</em> sān gè yuángōng. </span><span class="trans">This company only has three employees. </span> |
| − | * 电影院 里 <em>才</em> 八 九 个 人。<span class="pinyin">Diànyǐngyuàn lǐ <em>cái</em> bājiǔ gè rén.</span><span class="trans">There are only eight or nine people in the theater.</span> | + | * 电影院 里 <em>才</em> 八 九 个 人。<span class="pinyin">Diànyǐngyuàn lǐ <em>cái</em> bājiǔ gè rén.</span><span class="trans">There are only eight or nine people in the theater. </span> |
| − | * 我 <em>才</em> 来 上海 不到 | + | * 我 <em>才</em> 来 上海 不到 两 个 月。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cái</em> lái Shànghǎi bù dào liǎng gè yuè. </span><span class="trans">I've only been in Shanghai for less than two months. </span> |
| − | * 工作 <em>才</em>做 了 一半。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò <em>cái</em> | + | * 工作 <em>才</em> 做 了 一半。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò <em>cái</em> zuò le yībàn. </span><span class="trans">Only half of the work has been done. </span> |
| − | * 他们 认识 <em>才</em> 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin"> Tāmen rènshi <em>cái</em> sāngè 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> sāngè xīngqī jiù jiéhūn le. </span><span class="trans">They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married. </span> |
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Revision as of 01:45, 23 March 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
Subj. + 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
- 这 家 公司 才 三 个 员工 。This company only has three employees.
- 电影院 里 才 八 九 个 人。There are only eight or nine people in the theater.
- 我 才 来 上海 不到 两 个 月。I've only been in Shanghai for less than two months.
- 工作 才 做 了 一半。Only half of the work has been done.
- 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
