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 店 关门 了 ?可是 它 开业 <em>才</em> 一 个 星期 。<span class="trans">This shop is closed down?
+
*这 家 店 关门 了 ?可是 它 开业 <em>才</em> 一 个 星期 。<span class="trans">This shop is closed down? But it's only one week since it opened.</span>
But it's only one week since it opened.</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>

Revision as of 03:59, 12 December 2017

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

  • 二十 岁 ?cái èrshí suì?You're only twenty?
  • 这 家 店 关门 了 ?可是 它 开业 一 个 星期 。This shop is closed down? But it's only one week since it opened.
  • 这 个 班 两 个 学生 。 Zhège bān cái liǎng gè xuéshēng.This class only has two students.
  • 你 的 工资 两 千 ?Nǐ de gōngzī cái liǎng qiān?Your salary is only two thousand RMB?
  • 吃 了 一 个 ?cái chī le yī gè? You only ate one?
  • 来 上海 两 个 月 。cái lái Shànghǎi liǎng gè yuè.She's only been in Shanghai for two months.
  • 这 顿 饭 花 了 二十 块 。Zhè dùn fàn cái huā le èrshí kuài.This meal only cost twenty kuai.
  • 一百 斤 ,还 说 要 减肥 ?One "jin" = 500gcái yī bǎi jīn, hái shuō yào jiǎnféi?You're only 100 jin and you're talking about losing weight?
  • 玩 一会儿 ,让 我 再 玩 一会儿 吧 ?cái wán yīhuìr, ràng wǒ zài wán yīhuìr ba?I only played for a short while. Can I play a little bit longer?
  • 他们 结婚 了 ?可是 他们 认识 三 个 月 !Tāmen jiéhūn le? Kěshì tāmen rènshi cái sān gè yuè!They got married? They've only knew each other for three months!

See also

Sources and Further Readings

Books