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[[#|[[File:Expressing%20lateness%20with%20%22cai%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/cog.png]]]] = Expressing lateness with "cai" =
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  • Similar to
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_earliness_with_%22jiu%22 Expressing earliness with "jiu"] (B1)
    • [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22cai%22_and_%22jiu%22 Comparing "cai" and "jiu"] (B2)
  • Used for
    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_time_and_date Expressing time and date], [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_attitude Expressing attitude], [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Sequencing_events_in_time Sequencing events in time]
  • Keywords
    [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%89%8D 才]
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To express that something happened later than expected, you can use 才 (cái). In English this might be expressed with "as late as" or "not until." This form is often used with a time of some sort, like a specific time of day, age, etc.
== Contents ==  [[[#|hide]]] 
* [[#Structure|1 Structure]] * [[#Examples|2 Examples]] * [[#See_also|3 See also]] * [[#Sources_and_further_reading|4 Sources and further reading]] ** [[#Books|4.1 Books]]
== Structure ==
Subj. + Time + 才 + Verb
== Examples ==
* 我 昨天 晚上 十一 点 ''才'' 到 家 。Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang shíyī diǎn ''cái'' dào jiā.I didn't arrive at home until eleven o'clock last night. * 他 二十 五 岁 ''才'' 上 大学 。Tā èrshí-wǔ suì ''cái'' shàng dàxué.He didn't go to college until he was 25. * 她 四十 岁 ''才'' 结婚 。Tā sìshí suì ''cái'' jiéhūn.She didn't get married until she was forty. * 我 女儿 昨天 十二 点 ''才'' 睡觉 ，作业 太 多 了 。Wǒ nǚ'ér zuótiān shí'èr diǎn ''cái'' shuìjiào, zuòyè tài duō le.My daughter didn't go to bed until 12 o'clock yesterday. Too much homework. * 你 九 点 上班 ，八 点 半 ''才'' 起床 ？Nǐ jiǔ diǎn shàngbān, bā diǎn bàn ''cái'' qǐchuáng?You get up at 8:30 when you need to show up at work at nine? * 飞机 刚刚 ''才'' 起飞 ，晚点 了 两 个 小时 。Fēijī gānggāng ''cái'' qǐfēi, wǎndiǎn le liǎng gè xiǎoshí.The flight just took off. It was delayed for two hours. * 电影 七 点 半 开始 ，可是 因为 堵车 ，我们 八 点 ''才'' 到 。Diànyǐng qī diǎn bàn kāishǐ, kěshì yīnwèi dǔchē, wǒmen bā diǎn ''cái'' dào.The movie began at 7:30, but we didn't arrive until eight because of traffic.
You can use 才 alone with the verb to indicate the lateness when the context is clear:
* 你 怎么 ''才'' 吃 晚饭 ？已经 十 点 了 。Nǐ zěnme ''cái'' chī wǎnfàn? Yǐjīng shí diǎn le.How come you are eating dinner now? It's 10 pm. * 你 怎么 ''才'' 来 ？我们 等 了 半 个 多 小时 。 Nǐ zěnme ''cái'' lái? Wǒmen děng le bàn gè duō xiǎoshí.How come you came here so late? We've waited for more than half an hour.
Note that verbs following 才 should not take 了.
* 我 昨天 晚上 十一 点 ''才'' 到 家 '''了''' 。Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang shíyī diǎn ''cái'' dào jiā '''le'''. * 她 四十 岁 ''才'' 结婚 '''了''' 。Tā sìshí suì ''cái'' jiéhūn '''le'''.
== See also == * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_earliness_with_%22jiu%22 Expressing earliness with "jiu"] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22cai%22_for_small_numbers Using "cai" for small numbers] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22cai%22_and_%22jiu%22 Comparing "cai" and "jiu"] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar] (pp. 117-8) [http://amzn.to/2ykU1OD →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)] (pp. 139) [http://amzn.to/2xe9H5W →buy] * [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD40%E8%AF%BE%E4%B8%8A%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）] (pp. 239) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
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