才
cái
(variant of 才[cai2]) just now
(variant of 才[cai2]) (before an expression of quantity) only
才 — the 'just barely' timing and quantity marker
才 originally depicted a seedling just barely breaking through the ground — something that has just arrived, barely present. From that image of minimal emergence, it was extended to mean 'just now' and 'only,' marking smallness in time or quantity.
他才到家，还没来得及吃饭。
tā cái dào jiā，hái méi lái de jí chī fàn。
He just got home and hasn't had time to eat yet.
这个班才十个学生，人数很少。
zhè ge bān cái shí gè xué sheng，rén shù hěn shǎo。
This class has only ten students, a very small number.
Words with 才
通才
tōng cái
polymath
通才教育
tōng cái jiào yù
liberal education
适才
shì cái
just now; a moment ago (often used in the early vernacular)
郎才女貌
láng cái nǚ mào
talented man and beautiful woman
量才录用
liàng cái lù yòng
to assess sb's capabilities and employ him accordingly (idiom); to employ sb competent for the task
雄才大略
xióng cái dà lüè
great skill and strategy
冯骥才
féng jì cái
Feng Jicai (1942-), novelist from Tianjin, author of Extraordinary people in our ordinary world 俗世奇人
高才
gāo cái
great talent; rare capability
高才生
gāo cái shēng
student of great ability
鬼才信
guǐ cái xìn
who would believe it!
不才
bù cái
untalented
不打不成才
bù dǎ bù chéng cái
spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom)