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">
(+ Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun
+
才 + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small.
 
In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small.
  
== Examples ==
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*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 人 。<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">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 男朋友 工资 <em>才</em> 两 千 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān?</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend's salary is only two thousand RMB?</span>
+
*你 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>
*<em>才</em> 捐 十块 ?<span class="pinyin"><em>cái</em> juān shí kuài? </span><span class="trans">You only donated ten kuai?</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>
*<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>
+
*<em>才</em> 一百 斤 ,还 要 减肥 ?<span class="expl">One "jin" = 500g</span><span class="pinyin"><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>
*我们 <em>才</em> 看 完 一 页 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>cái</em> kàn wán 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>
+
</div>
*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>
+
 
 +
== Used with a Verb ==
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
才 + Verb + Number + Measure Word + Noun
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==See Also==
+
In this pattern, adding a 了 after the verb is optional.
 +
 
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*她 <em>才</em> 来 了 两 个 月 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cái</em> lái le liǎng gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">She's been here for only two months.</span>
 +
*这 家 店 关门 了 ?可是 它 <em>才</em> 开业 一 个 星期 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā diàn guānmén le? Kěshì tā  <em>cái</em> kāiyè yī gè xīngqī.</span><span class="trans">This shop is out of business? But it's only been one week since it opened.</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>
 +
*我们 <em>才</em> 玩 了 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 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>
 +
 
 +
== 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 + Measure Word + Noun|这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 。|grammar point|ASGYW5RS}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + Number + Measure Word + Noun|这 个 班 <em>才</em> 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