{{Grammar Box}} 

The character 才 (cái) can be used to emphasize that a number is small, or less than expected.

== Structure ==

<div class="jiegou">
才 (+ Verb) + Number + Measure Word + Noun
</div>

In English, we often express this by using "only" or "just" to emphasize that the number is small.

== Examples ==

<div class="liju">

*你 <em>才</em> 二十 岁 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> èrshí suì.</span><span class="trans">You're only twenty? </span>
*这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 人 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā gōngsī <em>cái</em> sān gè rén.</span><span class="trans">This company only has three employees.</span>
*这 个 班 <em>才</em> 两 个 学生 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège bān <em>cái</em> liǎng gè xuéshēng.</span><span class="trans">This class only has two students.</span>
*你 男朋友 工资 <em>才</em> 两 千 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou gōngzī <em>cái</em> liǎng qiān?</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend's salary is only two thousand RMB?</span>
*你 <em>才</em> 捐 十块 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cái</em> juān shí kuài? </span><span class="trans">You only donated ten kuai?</span>
*她 <em>才</em> 来 上海  两 个 月 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cái</em> lái Shànghǎi liǎng gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">She's only been in Shanghai for two months.</span>
*这 顿 饭 <em>才</em> 花 了 二十 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè dùn fàn <em>cái</em> huā le èrshí kuài.</span><span class="trans">This meal only cost twenty kuai.</span>
*你 才 一百 斤 ，还说 要 减肥 ？<span class="expl">One "jin" = 500g</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ cái yī bǎi jīn, hái shuō yào jiǎnféi?</span><span class="trans">You're only 100 jin and you're talking about losing weight?</span>
*我 <em>才</em> 吃 一 个 ，可以 再 吃 一 个 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cái</em> chī yī gè, kěyǐ zài chī yī gè ma?</span><span class="trans">I only ate one. Can I have one more?</span>
*他们 认识 <em>才</em> 三 个 星期 就 结婚 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen rènshi <em>cái</em> sān gè xīngqī jiù jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">They only knew each other for three weeks before they got married.</span>

</div>

==See Also==

*[["Just" with "jiu"]]
*[[Comparing "cai" and "jiu"]]
*[[Expressing lateness with "cai"]]

==Sources and Further Readings==

===Books===

* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (p. 302) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]


[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
[[Category: Adverbs]]

{{Basic Grammar|才|B1|才 + Measure Word + Noun|这 家 公司 <em>才</em> 三 个 人 。|grammar point|ASGYW5RS}}
{{Similar|"Just" with "jiu"}}
{{POS|Adverbs}}
{{Used for| Expressing quantity}}
{{Used for|Emphasizing}}