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

Line 20: Line 20:
 
* 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">Zhè gè 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">Zhè gè bān <em>cái</em> liǎng gè xuéshēng.</span><span class="trans">This class only has two students.</span>
* 这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 二十 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> èrshí kuài. </span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai. </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>
* <em>才</em> 来 上海  两 个 月。<span class="pinyin"><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> 来 上海  两 个 月。<span class="pinyin"><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 页。<span class="trans">Only half of the work has been done. </span>
 
* 我们 <em>才</em> 看 完 一 页。<span class="trans">Only half of the work has been done. </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 02:28, 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

  • 二十 岁?cái èrshí suì. You're only twenty?
  • 这 家 公司 三 个 员工 。Zhè jiā gōngsī cái sān gè yuángōng. This company only has three employees.
  • 这 个 班 两 个 学生 。 Zhè gè bān cái liǎng gè xuéshēng.This class only has two students.
  • 我 一 个 月 工资 两 千 。 Wǒ yī gè yuè gōngzī cái liǎng qiān. My monthly salary is only two thousand RMB.
  • 吃 一 个 包子?cái chī yī gè bāozi? You only ate one baizi?
  • 来 上海 两 个 月。cái lái Shànghǎi liǎng gè yuè. She's only been in Shanghai for two months.
  • 我们 看 完 一 页。Only half of the work has been done.
  • 这 顿 饭 花 了 二十 块 。Zhè dùn fàn cái huā le èrshí kuài. This meal only cost twenty kuai.
  • 他们 认识 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了。Tāmen rènshi cái sān gè xīngqī jiù jiéhūn le. They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married.

See Also

Sources and Further Readings

Books