才 cái only just
only then; not until; merely; talent
How it came to be
象形 · Pictogram · 假借 borrowed for its sound
A drawing of the thing it means.
The oldest form is a sharp peg; the meaning talent came later, by borrowing the shape for a word that sounded the same.
用法
- Marks something as late, small, or hard-won: 他才来 (tā cái lái) he's only just arrived (later than expected), 才五块钱 (cái wǔ kuài qián) only five yuan. The opposite feel to 就 (jiù, which marks 'as early/soon as'), 八点就来了 (bā diǎn jiù lái le) came as early as eight.
- In 只有…才… it means 'only then': 只有努力才行 (zhǐyǒu nǔlì cái xíng) only with effort will it work.
- Second sense = talent/ability: 人才 (réncái) a talent, 天才 (tiāncái) genius, 才华 (cáihuá) talent, 刚才 (gāngcái) just now.
- No 了 after 才 in the 'only just' sense: say 他才来, not 他才来了.
含“才”的汉字
含“才”的词语
例句
- 午饭才刚开始。 Wǔfàn cái gāng kāishǐ.Lunch has just started.
- 他不过才十岁。 Tā búguò cái shí suì.He is only ten years old.
- 他总是先想别人，其次才想到自己。 Tā zǒng shì xiān xiǎng biéren, qícì cái xiǎng dào zìjǐ.He always thinks of others first, then himself.
- 公司很重视人才。 Gōngsī hěn zhòngshì réncái.The company attaches great importance to human talent.