(cái) - only then, just, merely in Mandarin
cáiTraditional: 才
Translation
only then, just, merely
Test yourself on 才
Three quick questions. No account needed.
Know this word? Create a free account to track it.
Word origin
才 is generally taken as a pictograph showing a sprout breaking through the ground, conveying the idea of a beginning or budding talent. It is used for 'talent, ability' and as an adverb 'only then, just'.
- Origin
- pictograph
- Root
- a sprout emerging from the ground
Stroke order
才
Examples
。
He only just arrived.
。
Now that is right.
。
I definitely will not go.
。
I just saw him a moment ago.
。
He did not arrive until an hour later.
才 (cái) means only then, just, merely. It is used as a adverb in everyday Mandarin speech.
Where this fits
Appears in 4 words
Multi-character compounds in the corpus that contain 才.
Used in
Stories
(11)Add to review queue
Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.
Meet this word in a story
Every course has graded stories written only with words you have been taught, plus grammar drills, a games arcade and printable worksheets. Chapters 1 and 2 are free.
Chapters 1 and 2 free, forever. Plus: 7 days free, then $5 a month for all eleven languages.
Mandarin · Free printables
才: worksheet, infographic and listicleThe padlock and Plus mark show a Kilo Lingo Plus feature. Start your free week to unlock it - no card needed.
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "才" (only then, just, merely): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
Part of Kilo Lingo Plus
Printables beyond chapters 1 and 2 are part of Kilo Lingo Plus. Sign up free and start your free week to download as many as you like: no card.
Start your free week (no card)This word is taught in chapter 4, lesson 2: 才, 孩子, 看到 and 7 more words.