(cái) - only then, just, merely in Mandarin
cáiTraditional: 才
Translation
only then, just, merely
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
(9)Grammar articles
(5)Mandarin Conditionals: 如果, 要是, 的话 and the 就 That Finishes the Sentence
The Experiential 过 (guò) in Mandarin: Saying You Have Ever Done Something
就 (jiù) vs 才 (cái) in Mandarin: Sooner Than Expected, Later Than Expected
The Mandarin 是…的 (shì...de) Construction: Highlighting When, Where, and How Something Happened
又 (yòu) vs 再 (zài) vs 还 (hái) in Mandarin: The Three Ways to Say 'Again'
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才: worksheet, infographic and listicle
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.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 3.