ChineseGrammarWiki/Programmes/B2.old/Grammar-wiki-B2-119.txt

{{Grammar Box}} 

Both 才 (cái) and 就 (jiù) are adverbs that have to do with expressing time, and they are both placed in front of the verb. However, they have opposite effects on the tone of the sentence, with 才 (cái) implying a=the speaker's sense of lateness, and 就 (jiù) imparting a sense of earliness.

== Emphasis with 才 ==

=== Expressing Lateness with "cai" ===

[[Expressing lateness with "cai"|才 indicates]] that the speaker feels that the events discussed happened later than expected. Sometimes it also expresses anxiety, impatience, anger, or other related emotions. 

==== Structure ====

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Time Word + 才 + Verb
</div>

==== Examples ====

<div class="liju">
*我 等 了 两 个 小时 <em>才</em> 买到 票。 <span class="trans">I had waited two hours before buying the ticket.</span>
*老板 十一 点 <em>才</em> 到 办公室。<span class="trans">The boss didn't come to the office until 11 o'clock.</span>
*这个 项目 最少 要 花 两 个 月 <em>才</em> 能 做完。<span class="trans">It's going to take at least two months to complete this project.</span>
</div>

=== Expressing Small Quantity with "cai" ===

才 can also mean "only" in the sense of a small quantity.

==== Structure ====

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

==== Examples ====

<div class="liju">

*我们 有 这么 多 人，你 <em>才</em> 点 了 三 个 菜。 <span class="trans">We have so many people and you only ordered three dishes.</span>
*我 买 了 这么 多 东西，<em>才</em> 花 了 五百 块 。 <span class="trans">I bought so many things，
and it only cost me 500 RMB.</span>

</div>

=== Expressing earliness with "cai" ===

"才"表示动作在说话前不久发生，有" 刚、刚刚"的意思。常常跟"就"连用，形容某事发生得很快。

==== Structure ====

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 才 + Verb 
</div>

<div class="jiegou">
(现在) + 才 + Time 
</div>

==== Examples ====

<div class="liju">

*你 <em>才</em> 来 就 要 走 ？也 不 多 坐 一会儿 ？<span class="trans">You just came and you're leaving now?</span>
*电影 <em>才</em> 开始 你 就 不 想 看 了 ？<span class="trans">The movie just started and you don't want to see it now?</span> 
*他 <em>才</em> 毕业 就 找到 了 这么 好 的 工作 ？<span class="trans">How come he found such a good job while he just graduated from college?</span>
*现在 <em>才</em> 九点 ，再 玩 一会儿 。<span class="trans">It's only nine o'clock. Stay and hang out a little bit more.</span>
*<em>才</em> 六点 ，起 那么 早 干嘛 ？<span class="trans">It's only six. Why did you get up so early?</span>
</div>

== Emphasis with 就 ==

=== Used to Express Earliness === 

[[Expressing earliness with "jiu"|就 indicates]] that something has occurred earlier than the speaker expected. There may be an accompanying feeling of surprise or amazement.

==== Structure ====

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + Obj.＋了
</div>

==== Examples ====

<div class="liju">
*他 下午 四点 <em>就</em> 吃 晚饭 了。<span class="trans">He ate dinner at four in the afternoon.</span>
*她 十九 岁 <em>就</em> 结婚 了。<span class="trans">She got married when she was 19.</span>
*我 八点 <em>就</em> 出门 了，路 上 堵车，我 迟到 了 十 分钟。<span class="trans">I left at eight, but there was a traffic jam. I was ten minutes late.</span>
*你们 这么 早 <em>就</em> 下班 了？<span class="trans">You guys leaving work so early?</span>
*你 妹妹 十五岁<em>就</em> 上 大学 了？<span class="trans">Your younger sister started college when she was only fifteen?</span>

</div>

=== Used to Express Small Quantity === 

就 can be used to mean "only," in the sense of a small quantity.

==== Structure ====

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 就 + (＋Verb) ＋ Measure Word ＋ Noun
</div>

==== Examples ====

<div class="liju">

*我们 有 这么 多 人，你 <em>就</em> 点 了 三 个 菜？<span class="trans">.</span>
*你们 每天 <em>就</em> 睡 四 个 小时？ <span class="trans">Do you only sleep four hours every day?</span>
*那时候 中国人 都 生 四 五 个 孩子，他们 家 <em>就</em> 生 一 个？<span class="trans">She got married when she was 19.</span>
*你 这么 大 一个 男人，<em>就</em> 吃 这么 一 小 碗饭？！<span class="trans">.</span>
*每 个 人 都 写 了 五页 纸，你 <em>就</em> 写 了 一 页 纸！<span class="trans">.</span>

</div>

== See also==

*[[Expressing lateness with "cai"]]
*[[Expressing earliness with "jiu"]]
*[["cai" used for small numbers]]
*[["Just" with "jiu" ]]
*[[Emphasis with "jiu"]]
*[[Expressing "as one likes" with "jiu" ]]
*[[Expressing indifference with "jiu"]]
*[[Limiting scope with "jiu"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) ]] (p. 107) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy] 

[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|才|B2|才 vs 就|我 花 了 两 天 <em>才</em>修 好，你 一下子 <em>就</em> 弄 坏 了。|grammar point|ASGLOS9C}}
{{Rel char|就}}
{{Similar|Expressing lateness with "cai"}}   
{{Similar|Expressing earliness with "jiu"}}   
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
{{Comparison|Adverbs}}