Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"

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[[Category: Adverbs]]
 
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{{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + MW + Noun|这个 办公室 <em>才</em> 五个 人。|grammar point|ASGYW5RS}}
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{{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + MW + Noun|这个 办公室 <em>才</em> 五个 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 08:14, 17 January 2014

The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.

Structure

Subject + 才 + (verb)+ Number + Measure Word + Noun

Examples

  • 这个 办公室 五个 人。This office only has five people.
  • 电影院 里 八 九 个 人。There are only eight or nine people in the theater.
  • 工作 了 一 个 月。I've only been working for a month.
  • 工作 做 了 一半。Only half of the work has been done.
  • 他 早饭 吃 了 一 个 蛋糕。He only ate a cake for breakfast.

See Also

Sources and Further Readings

Books