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

 
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The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.
 
The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.
  
==Structure==
+
== Used as a Verb ==
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
In this case, 才 means "is only" or "only have."
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
才 + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun
 +
</div>
 +
 +
In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small.
 +
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 +
<div class="liju">
  
Subject + + (verb)+ Number + Measure Word + Noun
+
*你 <em></em> 二十 岁 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> èrshí suì?</span><span class="trans">You're only twenty? </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="expl">Probably RMB, per month</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ de gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān?</span><span class="trans">Your salary is only two thousand?</span>
 +
*这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 二十 块 ,太 便宜 了 !<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> èrshí kuài. Tài piányi le!</span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai. It's too cheap!</span>
 +
*你 <em>才</em> 一百 斤 ,还 要 减肥 ?<span class="expl">One "jin" = 500g</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> yī bǎi jīn, hái yào jiǎnféi?</span><span class="trans">You're only 100 jin and you still want to lose some weight?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small.
+
== Used with a Verb ==
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
才 + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Noun
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
In this pattern, adding a 了 after the verb is optional.
  
==Examples==
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 员工 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè  jiā gōngsī <em>cái</em> sān yuángōng. </span><span class="trans">This company only has three employees.</span>
+
*<em>才</em> 来 了 两 。<span class="pinyin"><em>cái</em> lái le liǎng yuè.</span><span class="trans">She's been here for only two months.</span>
* 电影院 里 <em>才</em> 八 九 人。<span class="pinyin">Diànyǐngyuàn lǐ <em>cái</em> bājiǔ rén.</span><span class="trans">There are only eight or nine people in the theater.</span>
+
*这 家 店 关门 了 ?可是 它 <em>才</em> 开业 一 星期 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā diàn guānmén le? Kěshì tā  <em>cái</em> kāiyè yī xīngqī.</span><span class="trans">This shop is out of business? But it's only been one week since it opened.</span>
* <em>才</em> 来 上海 不到 两个 月。<span class="pinyin"><em>cái</em> lái shànghǎi bùdào liǎnggè yuè.</span><span class="trans">I've only been in Shanghai for less than two months.</span>
+
*已经 两 天 了 ,你 <em>才</em> 看完 一 页 ?<span class="pinyin">Yǐjīng liǎng tiān le, nǐ <em>cái</em> kàn wán yī yè?</span><span class="trans">It's been two days and you only finished reading one page?</span>
* 工作 <em>才</em>一半。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò <em>cái</em> zuòle yībàn.</span><span class="trans">Only half of the work has been done.</span>
+
*我们 <em>才</em> 一会儿 ,再 玩 一会儿 吧 ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>cái</em> wán le yīhuìr, zài wán yīhuìr ba?</span><span class="trans">We've only played for a short while. Can we play a little bit longer?</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've known each other only for three weeks before they got married.</span>
+
*他们 结婚 了 ?他们 <em>才</em> 认识 三 个 月 !<span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiéhūn le? Tāmen <em>cái</em> rènshi sān gè yuè!</span><span class="trans">They got married? They've only known each other for three months!</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==See Also==
+
== See also ==
  
 
*[["Just" with "jiu"]]
 
*[["Just" with "jiu"]]
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*[[Expressing lateness with "cai"]]
 
*[[Expressing lateness with "cai"]]
  
==Sources and Further Readings==
+
== Sources and Further Readings ==
 
 
===Books===
 
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (p. 302) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
+
=== Books ===
  
 +
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|302}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
[[Category: Adverbs]]
 
[[Category: Adverbs]]
  
{{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + MW + Noun|这个 办公室 <em>才</em> 五个 人。|grammar point|ASGYW5RS}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + Number + Measure Word + Noun|这 个 班 <em>才</em> 两 个 学生 。|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}}

Latest revision as of 08:29, 17 April 2019

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

Used as a Verb

Structure

In this case, 才 means "is only" or "only have."

才 + 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 个 班 两 个 学生 。 Zhège bān cái liǎng gè xuéshēng.This class only has two students.
  • 你 的 工资 两 千 ?Probably RMB, per monthNǐ de gōngzī cái liǎng qiān?Your salary is only two thousand?
  • 这 顿 饭 二十 块 ,太 便宜 了 !Zhè dùn fàn cái èrshí kuài. Tài piányi le!This meal only cost twenty kuai. It's too cheap!
  • 一百 斤 ,还 要 减肥 ?One "jin" = 500gcái yī bǎi jīn, hái yào jiǎnféi?You're only 100 jin and you still want to lose some weight?

Used with a Verb

Structure

才 + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Noun

In this pattern, adding a 了 after the verb is optional.

Examples

  • 来 了 两 个 月 。cái lái le liǎng gè yuè.She's been here for only two months.
  • 这 家 店 关门 了 ?可是 它 开业 一 个 星期 。Zhè jiā diàn guānmén le? Kěshì tā cái kāiyè yī gè xīngqī.This shop is out of business? But it's only been one week since it opened.
  • 已经 两 天 了 ,你 看完 一 页 ?Yǐjīng liǎng tiān le, nǐ cái kàn wán yī yè?It's been two days and you only finished reading one page?
  • 我们 玩 了 一会儿 ,再 玩 一会儿 吧 ?Wǒmen cái wán le yīhuìr, zài wán yīhuìr ba?We've only played for a short while. Can we play a little bit longer?
  • 他们 结婚 了 ?他们 认识 三 个 月 !Tāmen jiéhūn le? Tāmen cái rènshi sān gè yuè!They got married? They've only known each other for three months!

See also

Sources and Further Readings

Books