Definitions
(noun)
ability; talent; capability
(adverb)
only then; just now
(adverb)
only (before quantities)
Etymology
Originally a pictograph of a wooden post, similar to 弋. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "才" originated as a pictograph of a sprout emerging from the ground, conveying the idea of a beginning or inherent potential. Its present form is a simple structure with a horizontal stroke above a vertical hook and a diagonal stroke. Initially associated with growth and inception, the character's meaning broadened to include notions of innate ability, talent, and personal capability. Over time, it also adopted grammatical functions as an adverb to express temporal immediacy or conditional necessity, such as in senses equivalent to "just" or "only then", while its graphical representation has seen minimal alteration.
Example Sentences Hide
我现在才来。
他才是好人。
你才能做这件事。
人才非常重要。
他昨天才到北京。
只有努力才能成功。
直到昨天他才告诉我。
这个问题才能被彻底解决。