HSK 3 · VERSION 2.0#9

Expressing “Lateness” with “cái”

才

cái

How it works

才 can show that something happened later than expected.

Subject + Time + 才 + Verb

他晚上十点才回家。

Tā wǎnshang shí diǎn cái huí jiā.

He did not go home until ten at night.

我昨天很晚才睡觉。

Wǒ zuótiān hěn wǎn cái shuìjiào.

I did not go to bed until very late yesterday.

她三岁才会说话。

Tā sān suì cái huì shuōhuà.

She did not learn to speak until she was three.

才 often suggests “later than expected.”