Lessons 27, 28 and 30: The adverbs 就 and 才

Distinguishing 就 (happens early, quickly, easily; about to happen; only) from 才 (happens late, slowly, with difficulty; just now).

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 27 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 28 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 30

八点上课，她八点半才来。

Bā diǎn shàngkè, tā bā diǎn bàn cái lái.

Class starts at eight, and she didn't arrive until eight thirty.

Explanation

The adverbs 就 and 才 can both go before a verb as adverbials. 就 expresses that something will happen right away; 才 expresses that something happened only a short while ago.

就 also expresses that something happens early or quickly, is very easy to do, or goes very smoothly. 才 expresses that something happens late or slowly, is not easy to do, or doesn't go smoothly.

When 就 is used before a verb-object phrase (Lesson 27), it also expresses that the scope of the action is small and the quantity is little (only).

Structure

1
就 + V (sớm, nhanh, dễ; sắp xảy ra ngay)
Something that is about to happen right away; or that happens early or quickly, is very easy to do, or goes smoothly.
- 你等一下，她就来。
  Nǐ děng yíxià, tā jiù lái.
  Wait a moment, she'll be here right away.
- 现在六点，我们六点半就出发。
  Xiànzài liù diǎn, wǒmen liù diǎn bàn jiù chūfā.
  It's six o'clock now; we'll set off at six thirty.
- 她来中国以前就学汉语了。
  Tā lái Zhōngguó yǐqián jiù xué Hànyǔ le.
  She had already studied Chinese before she came to China.
- 不要两个小时，一个小时就到了。
  Búyào liǎng ge xiǎoshí, yí ge xiǎoshí jiù dào le.
  It won't take two hours; in just one hour you'll be there.
- 她吃了两片药就好了。
  Tā chī le liǎng piàn yào jiù hǎo le.
  She took two pills and got better.
- 我早就下班了。
  Wǒ zǎo jiù xiàbān le.
  I got off work a long time ago.
2
才 + V (muộn, chậm, khó; vừa mới)
Something that happened only a short while ago; or that happens late or slowly, isn't easy to do, or doesn't go smoothly.
- 我才到家。
  Wǒ cái dào jiā.
  I just got home.
- 她才来半年就已经说得不错了。
  Tā cái lái bàn nián jiù yǐjīng shuō de búcuò le.
  She has been here for only half a year, and she already speaks quite well.
- 他十点钟才起床。
  Tā shí diǎn zhōng cái qǐchuáng.
  He didn't get up until ten o'clock.
- 八点上课，她八点半才来。
  Bā diǎn shàngkè, tā bā diǎn bàn cái lái.
  Class starts at eight, and she didn't arrive until eight thirty.
- 你怎么现在才来？
  Nǐ zěnme xiànzài cái lái?
  Why are you only getting here now?
- 我才会用筷子吃饭。
  Wǒ cái huì yòng kuàizi chīfàn.
  I have only just learned to eat with chopsticks.
3
就VverbO (chỉ có, phạm vi nhỏ)
就 before a verb-object phrase: the scope of the action is small, the quantity is little.
- 我就喝了一杯啤酒。
  Wǒ jiù hē le yì bēi píjiǔ.
  I only drank one glass of beer.
- 我就有一本词典。
  Wǒ jiù yǒu yì běn cídiǎn.
  I only have one dictionary.

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