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[](http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1286538933)
[](# "wikilink")
Comparing "gang" and "gangcai"
==============================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGJFFWG)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
- [Expressing "just now" with
"gangcai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22just_now%22_with_%22gangcai%22) (A2)
- [Expressing "just" with
"gang"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22just%22_with_%22gang%22) (A2)
-
Used for
[Describing
actions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Describing_actions),
[Expressing time and
date](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_time_and_date)
-
Keywords
[刚](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%88%9A),
[刚才](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%88%9A%E6%89%8D)
-
Translations
[just](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Just),
[just
now](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Just_now)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-gang.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1 刚 as "Just
happened"](#.E5.88.9A_as_.22Just_happened.22 "wikilink")
- [1.1 刚
before An Verb](#.E5.88.9A_before_An_Verb "wikilink")
- [1.2 刚
before An
Adjective](#.E5.88.9A_before_An_Adjective "wikilink")
- [2 刚才 as
"Just Now"](#.E5.88.9A.E6.89.8D_as_.22Just_Now.22 "wikilink")
- [3 刚 and 刚才
with
了](#.E5.88.9A_and_.E5.88.9A.E6.89.8D_with_.E4.BA.86 "wikilink")
- [4 刚 and 刚才
with
没](#.E5.88.9A_and_.E5.88.9A.E6.89.8D_with_.E6.B2.A1 "wikilink")
- [5 Example
Dialog](#Example_Dialog "wikilink")
- [6 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [7 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [7.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
- [7.2
Dictionaries](#Dictionaries "wikilink")
- 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.
- 我们 昨天 *刚* 到 。Wǒmen zuótiān *gāng*
dào.We just arrived yesterday.
- 真 不巧 ，老板 *刚* 走 。Zhēn bùqiǎo, lǎobǎn
*gāng* zǒu.What a bad coincidence. The
boss just left.
It would be wrong to use 刚才 instead:
- 他 *刚才* 到 。Tā *gāngcái* dào.
- 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.
- 真 不巧 ，老板 *刚才* 走 。Zhēn bùqiǎo, lǎobǎn
*gāngcái* zǒu.
And if you mean to say "When I first arrived in Shanghai," use 刚
instead of 刚才:
- 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.
### 刚 before An Adjective
刚, as an adverb, can also be placed in front of the verb, while 刚才
can't be used this way.
A few examples:
- 天 *刚* 晴 。Tiān *gāng*
qíng.The sky just cleared up.
- 他 的 感冒 *刚刚* 好 。Tā de gǎnmào *gānggāng*
hǎo.He just recovered from his
cold.
- 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.
刚才 as "Just Now"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
刚才 is a [time
noun](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/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**."
A few examples:
- 他 *刚才* 哭 **了** 。He was crying a moment ago
but he stopped.Tā *gāngcái* kū
**le**.He was crying just now.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- *刚* **的 事情** 太 让 人 生气 了 。*Gāng* **de
shìqing** tài ràng rén shēngqì le.What
just happened is really upsetting.
- *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.
刚 and 刚才 with 了
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may have noticed that something interesting is going on with regards
to [了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BA%86)
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).
Take these sentences for example:
- 我 昨天 看 了 。Wǒ zuótiān kàn
le.I looked at it yesterday.
- 我 刚才 看 了 。Wǒ gāngcái kàn
le.I looked at it just now.
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.*
OK, now what about 刚? Why does it not need 了?
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
A few more examples:
- 你 *刚* **知道** 吗 ？The verb 知道 always
includes the result of "knowing."Nǐ
*gāng* **zhīdào** ma?You just found
out?
- 我 *刚* **听说** 。The verb 听说 includes a clear
enough indication of result.Wǒ *gāng*
**tīngshuō**.I just heard.
- 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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK, so there's also something going on with
[没](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%B2%A1) 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). \[Saying that something "just didn't
happen" only works in English if you interpret "just" to mean
"simply."\]
The takeaway? Just don't use 刚 in sentences where you use 没 to negate
the past.
- 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.
Use 没 with 刚才 to negate the past.
- 我 *刚才* **没** 看到 。Wǒ *gāngcái* **méi**
kàndào.I didn't see it just now.
- 我 *刚才* **没** 听懂 。Wǒ *gāngcái* **méi**
tīngdǒng.I didn't understand just
now.
Example Dialog
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- A: 你 *刚才* 去 哪儿 了
？Nǐ *gāngcái* qù nǎr
le?Where did you go just now?
- 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.
- 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?
- B: *刚才* 发生 了 什么 事
？*Gāngcái* fāshēng le shénme
shì?What's just happened?
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
- ["Just now" with
"gangcai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Just_now%22_with_%22gangcai%22)
- ["Just" with
"gang"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Just%22_with_%22gang%22)
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
- [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D%EF%BC%88%E5%A2%9E%E8%AE%A2%E6%9C%AC%EF%BC%89) (pp.
216) \[ →buy\]
- [现代汉语虚词例释](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%99%9A%E8%AF%8D%E4%BE%8B%E9%87%8A) (pp.
190)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
- [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D%EF%BC%88%E5%A2%9E%E8%AE%A2%E6%9C%AC%EF%BC%89) (pp.
217) \[ →buy\]
- [对外汉语教学语法释疑201例](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%AF%B9%E5%A4%96%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E6%95%99%E5%AD%A6%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E9%87%8A%E7%96%91201%E4%BE%8B) (pp.
28) \[ →buy\]
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
(3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)) (pp.
40- 2) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2femBuy)
- [卓越汉语－公司实战篇](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%EF%BC%8D%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87) (pp.
239) \[ →buy\]
### Dictionaries
- [现代汉语词典（第5版）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%EF%BC%88%E7%AC%AC5%E7%89%88%EF%BC%89) (pp.
446)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1)
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