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<title>Comparing "gang" and "gangcai"</title>
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<h1>Comparing "gang" and "gangcai"</h1>

<p>刚 (gāng) and 刚才 (gāngcái) are similar, but they differ on a few key uses.</p>

<h2>Contents</h2>

  
<div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 刚 as "Just happened" </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.1 刚 before An Verb </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.2 刚 before An Adjective </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 刚才 as "Just Now" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 刚 and 刚才 with 了 </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 刚 and 刚才 with 没 </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">5 Example Dialog </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">6 See also </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">7 Sources and further reading </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">7.1 Books </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">7.2 Dictionaries</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>刚 as "Just happened"</h2>

<p>刚 is actually an adverb, and it is placed in front of the verb. It emphasizes that the action just happened a short time ago. It is similar to the English "just." 刚刚 and 刚 are interchangeable in this case.</p>

<p>The key here is that a short time ago is relative and determined by the speaker. For this reason, 刚 can indicate that something "just" happened 1 second ago, 5 minutes ago, 2 hours ago, 3 weeks ago, or even a year ago. The absolute time is flexible, but from the speaker's perspective, it feels recent.</p>

<h2>刚 before An Verb</h2>

<h3>A few examples:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 刚 到 。This gives the impression that not only did he just get here, but he should still be here.
Tā gāng dào.
He just arrived. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我们 昨天 刚 到 。
Wǒmen zuótiān gāng dào.
We just arrived yesterday. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">真 不巧 ，老板 刚 走 。
Zhēn bùqiǎo, lǎobǎn gāng zǒu.
What a bad coincidence. The boss just left.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<p>It would be wrong to use 刚才 instead:
</p>
<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 刚才 到 。
Tā gāngcái dào. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我们 昨天 刚才 到 。刚才 should be used for events a lot closer in time than 昨天.
Wǒmen zuótiān gāngcái dào. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">真 不巧 ，老板 刚才 走 。
Zhēn bùqiǎo, lǎobǎn gāngcái zǒu.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>
And if you mean to say "When I first arrived in Shanghai," use 刚 instead of 刚才:
</p>
<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚 到 上海 的 时候 ，谁 都 不 认识 。
Wǒ gāng dào Shànghǎi de shíhou, shéi dōu bù rènshi.
I didn't know anyone when I just came to Shanghai.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>刚 before An Adjective</h2>

<p>刚, as an adverb, can also be placed in front of the verb, while 刚才 can't be used this way.</p>

<h3>A few examples:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">天 刚 晴 。
Tiān gāng qíng.
The sky just cleared up. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 的 感冒 刚刚 好 。
Tā de gǎnmào gānggāng hǎo.
He just recovered from his cold. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">面包 刚 熟 ， 过 一会儿 再 吃 。
Miànbāo gāng shóu, guò yīhuìr zài chī.
The bread just got done cooking. Eat in a little bit.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>刚才 as "Just Now"</h2>

<p>刚才 is a time noun (like 今天 and 现在), and it expresses that the time that has passed is really short, in near-absolute terms. We're talking no more than 1-30 minutes, in most situations. If it is placed before the verb, it emphasizes what happened in the time that has just passed. It is similar to the English "just now."</p>

<h3>A few examples:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 刚才 哭 了 。He was crying a moment ago but he stopped.
Tā gāngcái kū le.
He was crying just now. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚才 看到 他 了 。Sounds like he's not here anymore; I just saw him, but don't see him now.
Wǒ gāngcái kàndào tā le.
I just now saw him. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">现在 我 感觉 比 刚才 好 一点 了 。
Xiànzài wǒ gǎnjué bǐ gāngcái hǎo yīdiǎn le.
I feel a little better now than just before.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<p>刚才, as a time noun, can directly modify a noun to indicate it is that one from "just now" or "just before," while 刚 can't be used this way.</p>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">刚 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了 。
Gāng de shìqing tài ràng rén shēngqì le.
What just happened is really upsetting. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">刚才 的 事情 太 让 人 生气 了 。
Gāngcái de shìqing tài ràng rén shēngqì le.
What just happened is really upsetting.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>刚 and 刚才 with 了</h2>

<p>You may have noticed that something interesting is going on with regards to 了 in the sentences with 刚 and 刚才. Namely, 了 is not usually required in sentences with 刚, but it is usually required in sentences with 刚才. This is because 刚才 refers to a time in the recent past, and you're usually indicated that something happened just now (started and finished).</p>

<h3>Take these sentences for example:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 昨天 看 了 。
Wǒ zuótiān kàn le.
I looked at it yesterday. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚才 看 了 。
Wǒ gāngcái kàn le.
I looked at it just now.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<p>So these are all simple time "subject + verb" sentences. Notice that when they refer to the past (including the one with 刚才), the action is completed and you need 了. You don't need 了 for things that haven't happened yet (they're just plans, and nothing is completed). And remember that 刚才 always refers to the past.
</p>
<h2>OK, now what about 刚? Why does it not need 了?</h2>

<p>The key is that you don't need a 了 in a sentence with 刚 if the verb indicates a clear result. So, to use the 看 example from above:</p>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚 看到 。Adding a 到 to 看 gives the verb a meaning of the result of "looking at."
Wǒ gāng kàndào.
I just saw it. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚 看到 了 。了 is not needed here as 看到 includes the result of "looking at."
Wǒ gāng kàndào le.
I just saw it. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚才 看到 了 。了 is needed here as 刚才 always refers to the past.
Wǒ gāngcái kàndào le.
I saw it just now.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h3>A few more examples:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 刚 知道 吗 ？The verb 知道 always includes the result of "knowing."
Nǐ gāng zhīdào ma?
You just found out? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚 听说 。The verb 听说 includes a clear enough indication of result.
Wǒ gāng tīngshuō.
I just heard. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">宝宝 刚 醒 。
Bǎobao gāng xǐng.
The verb 醒 includes a clear enough indication of result.
The baby just woke up.
刚 and 刚才 with 没</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<p>OK, so there's also something going on with 没 in sentences with 刚 and 刚才. The deal here is that you can say something didn't happen just now (刚才), but you can't say that something just didn't happen (刚). [Saying that something "just didn't happen" only works in English if you interpret "just" to mean "simply."]
</p>
<p>The takeaway? Just don't use 刚 in sentences where you use 没 to negate the past.
</p>


我 刚 没 看到 。
Wǒ gāng méi kàndào.
Don't use 刚 with 没 in the past.
I just didn't see it.
我 刚 没 听懂 。
Wǒ gāng méi tīngdǒng.
I didn't understand just now.

<p>Use 没 with 刚才 to negate the past.</p>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚才 没 看到 。
Wǒ gāngcái méi kàndào.
I didn't see it just now. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 刚才 没 听懂 。
Wǒ gāngcái méi tīngdǒng.
I didn't understand just now.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h3>Example Dialog</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 你 刚才 去 哪儿 了 ？
Nǐ gāngcái qù nǎr le?
Where did you go just now? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 我 去 上 厕所 了 。刚 回来 。
Wǒ qù shàng cèsuǒ le. Gāng huílái.
I went to the bathroom. I just got back. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 那 你 不 知道 刚才 的 事 吧 ？
Nà nǐ bù zhīdào gāngcái de shì ba?
Then you don't know what happened just now? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 刚才 发生 了 什么 事 ？
Gāngcái fāshēng le shénme shì?
What's just happened?</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h3>See also</h3>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">"Just now" with "gangcai"
"Just" with "gang"</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Sources and further reading</h3>

<h4>Books</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 216) [ →buy] </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 190) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 217) [ →buy] </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (pp. 28) [ →buy] </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 40- 2) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 239) [ →buy]</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h4>Dictionaries</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 446) →buy</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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