Difference between revisions of "Using "cai" for small numbers"
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* 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 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> | ||
| − | * 这 个 班 <em>才</em> 两 个 学生 。 <span class="pinyin"> | + | * 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> |
* 我 一 个 月 工资 <em>才</em> 两 千 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yī gè yuè gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān. </span> <span class="trans">My monthly salary is only two thousand RMB. </span> | * 我 一 个 月 工资 <em>才</em> 两 千 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yī gè yuè gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān. </span> <span class="trans">My monthly salary is only two thousand RMB. </span> | ||
* 你 <em>才</em> 吃 一 个 包子？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> chī yī gè bāozi? </span><span class="trans">You only ate one baizi? </span> | * 你 <em>才</em> 吃 一 个 包子？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> chī yī gè bāozi? </span><span class="trans">You only ate one baizi? </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> | ||
| − | * 我们 <em>才</em> 看 完 一 | + | * 我们 <em>才</em> 看 完 一 页 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>cái</em> kàn wán yī yè. </span> <span class="trans">We only finished reading one page. </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> | ||
* 他们 认识 <em>才</em> 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>cái</em> sān gè 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> sān gè xīngqī jiù jiéhūn le. </span><span class="trans">They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married. </span> | ||
Revision as of 02:30, 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
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 员工 。This company only has three employees.
- 这 个 班 才 两 个 学生 。 This class only has two students.
- 我 一 个 月 工资 才 两 千 。 My monthly salary is only two thousand RMB.
- 你 才 吃 一 个 包子？You only ate one baizi?
- 她 才 来 上海 两 个 月。She's only been in Shanghai for two months.
- 我们 才 看 完 一 页 。 We only finished reading one page.
- 这 顿 饭 才 花 了 二十 块 。This meal only cost twenty kuai.
- 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
