HSK 3 · VERSION 2.0#59

Expressing “Only After” with “cái”

……才…… -...cái...

How it works

This pattern means “only after...” or “not until... then...”

吃完饭才能出去。

Chī wán fàn cái néng chūqù.

Only after finishing the meal can you go out.

我做完作业才睡觉。

Wǒ zuò wán zuòyè cái shuìjiào.

I only go to sleep after finishing my homework.

他到了北京才给我打电话。

Tā dào le Běijīng cái gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.

He only called me after arriving in Beijing.

This pattern highlights that one event happens later, after a condition is met.