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Comparing 才 ("cai2") and 就 ("jiu4")

才 cái

Grammar
HSK 4

Structure

Subj. + Time Word + 才 + Verb 才 ( + Verb) + Measure Word + Noun (现在) + 才 + Time Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + Obj.＋了 Subj. + 就 + (＋Verb) ＋ Measure Word ＋ Noun Subj + 才 + Verb + 就 + Verb Phrase

Definition

才（cái）表示动作发生得晚、慢或条件严格；就（jiù）表示动作发生得早、快或条件宽松。

才 (cái) indicates that an action occurs late, slowly, or under strict conditions; 就 (jiù) indicates that an action occurs early, quickly, or under lenient conditions.

Usage

才常用于强调时间晚、数量少、难度大或条件苛刻；就常用于强调时间早、数量多、容易或条件充分。二者常出现在“如果...就...”和“只有...才...”等句型中。

才 is used to emphasize lateness, small quantity, difficulty, or strict conditions; 就 is used to emphasize earliness, large quantity, ease, or sufficient conditions. They often appear in patterns like '如果...就...' (if...then...) and '只有...才...' (only...then...).

Examples

  • 1 他八点才起床，今天迟到了。（He didn't get up until 8 o'clock, so he was late today.）
  • 2 他六点就起床了，今天没有迟到。（He got up as early as 6 o'clock, so he wasn't late today.）
  • 3 只有努力学习才能取得好成绩。（Only by studying hard can you achieve good grades.）
  • 4 如果下雨就不去公园了。（If it rains, then we won't go to the park.）
  • 5 我学了三年才学会游泳。（It took me three years to learn how to swim.）
  • 6 他一年就学会了游泳。（He learned to swim in just one year.）

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