才

cái

adverb HSK 4 #120

Meanings

1 only then
2 not until
3 just
4 talent

Characters

talent; only then; just now

Pictograph of a sprout just breaking through soil — something barely emerging, hence 'only just'

Examples

他十点才来。

Tā shí diǎn cái lái.

He didn't come until 10 o'clock.

我才知道。

Wǒ cái zhīdào.

I just found out.

他才五岁。

Tā cái wǔ suì.

He's only five years old.

Tips

grammar

才 implies later than expected or less than expected.

mistakes

才 vs 就: 才 = later/less than expected. 就 = sooner/more than expected.

Stroke Order

才 cái