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

Line 7: Line 7:
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subj. + 才 + (Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun
+
才 + (Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 02:01, 23 March 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

  • 这 家 公司 三 个 员工 。Zhè jiā gōngsī cái sān gè yuángōng. This company only has three employees.
  • 电影院 里 八 九 个 人。Diànyǐngyuàn lǐ cái bājiǔ gè rén.There are only eight or nine people in the theater.
  • 来 上海 不到 两 个 月。cái lái Shànghǎi bù dào liǎng gè yuè. I've only been in Shanghai for less than two months.
  • 工作 做 了 一半。Gōngzuò cái zuò le yībàn. Only half of the work has been done.
  • 他们 认识 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了。Tāmen rènshi cái sāngè xīngqī jiù jiéhūn le. They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married.

See Also

Sources and Further Readings

Books