Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
* 我 <em>才</em>工作 了 一 个 月。<span class="trans">I've only been working for a month.</span> | * 我 <em>才</em>工作 了 一 个 月。<span class="trans">I've only been working for a month.</span> | ||
* 工作 <em>才</em>做 了 一半。<span class="trans">Only half of the work has been done.</span> | * 工作 <em>才</em>做 了 一半。<span class="trans">Only half of the work has been done.</span> | ||
| − | * 他 早饭 <em>才</em>吃 了 一 个 蛋糕。<span class="trans">He only | + | * 他 早饭 <em>才</em>吃 了 一 个 蛋糕。<span class="trans">He only ate a cake for breakfast.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 08:23, 18 June 2013
| This article is a stub. Editors can help the Chinese Grammar Wiki by expanding it. |
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.
Structure
Subject + 才 + Number + Measure Word + Noun
Examples
- 这个 办公室 才 有 五个 人。This office only has five people.
- 电影院 里才 八 九 个 人。There are only eight or nine people in the theater.
- 我 才工作 了 一 个 月。I've only been working for a month.
- 工作 才做 了 一半。Only half of the work has been done.
- 他 早饭 才吃 了 一 个 蛋糕。He only ate a cake for breakfast.
See Also
Sources and Further Readings
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (p. 302) →buy
