才

纔

cái

HSK 3.0Level 3

Definitions

cái (noun) ability; talent; capability

cái (adverb) only then; just now

cái (adverb) only (before quantities)

Etymology

Originally a pictograph of a wooden post, similar to 弋. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

Originally a pictograph of a wooden post, resembling 弋, 才 acquired its modern meanings, talent, ability, and gifted individuals, through phonetic loan. It also functions as an adverb, indicating an action that has just happened or a situation realized only after a certain condition is met.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我现在才来。

Wǒ xiànzài cái lái.

I only come now.

他才是好人。

Tā cái shì hǎo rén.

He is the good person.

你才能做这件事。

Nǐ cái néng zuò zhè jiàn shì.

Only you can do this thing.

人才非常重要。

Réncái fēicháng zhòngyào.

Talent is very important.

他昨天才到北京。

Tā zuótiān cái dào Běijīng.

He only arrived in Beijing yesterday.

只有努力才能成功。

Zhǐyǒu nǔlì cáinéng chénggōng.

Only by working hard can you succeed.

直到昨天他才告诉我。

Zhídào zuótiān tā cái gàosu wǒ.

Only yesterday did he tell me.

这个问题才能被彻底解决。

Zhège wèntí cáinéng bèi chèdǐ jiějué.

This problem can only be thoroughly solved.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 才

Example Words