Possible 'Qing Wen' topic -- 才?
hryj
March 15, 2009, 05:03 AM posted in General DiscussionHi,
Recently, working through a popular Chinese textbook, the usage of 才 contrasted with 就 came up in the context of the dialog:
A: 我一个月就回来了 (I'll return in a month -- i.e the time will go by quickly)
B. 什么”就”回来，你一个月”才”回来。 (i.e. no, it will be a *whole* month until you return)
Looking for other examples of usage of 才 did not really help it all click for me too much.
It seems to sometimes be used to indicate something is later than expected:
他九点钟才来 (He didn't come until 9 o'clock.).
一直到中午才散会 (The meeting didn't end until noon)
In other cases, it seems to be used to say something happened earlier than expected:
这孩子才五岁，已经认得不少字了 (The boy is only five, but he has already learned quite a few characters)
他们结婚才一年就分开了 (They separated after only one year's marriage)
I'm hoping it's actually not as complicated as I'm making it :-). If this has been covered in a podcast already, I haven't found it yet. Thanks for any help on this topic.
Jeff
a384370452
March 15, 2009, 07:14 AMOH
呵呵，有那么困难吗？
Maybe you should pay mind to talking with Chinese and understand the meanming of 才.
Since 才 have many means on different place.
If you don't mind ,we can make friends .
好吗？
刚“才”忘了说，我来自中国。
My msn:a384370452@msn.cn
miantiao
March 15, 2009, 07:20 AM‘才’ 我熟悉这个词，熟悉才怪！
sealin
March 15, 2009, 10:58 AMThe Hanyu grammarian Lv Shuxiang(吕叔湘）has summarize the meaning and the usemethods of “才”into five kinds。才 is a adverb.
1、刚刚（gang gang)（just now) EX：你怎么才来就要走？ You’ve only just come. Why do you want to leave so soon?
他才回到家里，汤姆就来找他了． He had just got home when Tom came looking for him.
2、表示事情发生或者结束得晚。（not until）
EX:他九点钟才来，太晚了． He didn’t come until 9 o’clock. That was too late.
大风到晚上才止住了．The gale didn’t stop until evening.
他走了两个小时才走到．It took him two hours to get there.
你为什么这会儿才说呢？ How come you didn’t say anything until now?
3、=只 only 表示数量少
EX；现在才八点钟，还早着呢． It’s only 8 o’clock, so there’s still plenty of time.
才五块钱吗？真便宜． Only five dollars? That’s really cheap.
这孩子才五岁，已经认得不少字了． The child is only five, and he already knows quite a few characters.
4、actually; really; 用于肯定或冲突，强调“才“字之前的词，通常句尾用“呢”结尾)：
EX:这才好呢! Now this is really good!
你以为他傻吗? 他才不傻呢! You think he is stupid? Not him!
我才懒得管呢! I can’t be bothered! 或 I couldn’t care less.
你才是撒谎! You are the one who’s lying.
他要是不知道才怪呢!I’d be really surprised if he didn’t know.
5、只有........才
只有肯努力，才能得到好成绩．Only you study hard can you get good results.
PS：Actually we Chinese also cann't speak accurately of this adverb. I think we can learn the meaning in the sentences and just remember the sentences.I hope the sentences could help you .
hryj
March 15, 2009, 12:58 PMEveryone, thanks for the examples.
@sealin -- thanks! Your explaination was quite helpful. What this shows me is that it's a multi-facetted word, and I'll just need to see/use it in context a lot more.
daizi
March 15, 2009, 05:09 AM我学了五年的中文才明白才字到底是什么用法。