才 cái sits right before the verb, and a time word before it usually shows just how late the action was.
1 S + Time Word + 才 cái + V
The time word tells us when the action finally happened — later than the listener would expect.
不好意思，你們先吃吧！我大概八點才會到不好意思，你们先吃吧！我大概八点才会到
Sorry, go ahead and eat first! I probably won’t arrive until around 8 o’clock.
他明年才會來台灣他明年才会来台湾
He won’t come to Taiwan until next year.
現在客人比較多，餐點要30分鐘才會好现在客人比较多，餐点要30分钟才会好
There are a lot of customers right now, so it’ll take 30 minutes for the food to be ready.
2 More Examples — Age & Timing
你怎麼28歲才從大學畢業？你怎么28岁才从大学毕业？
Why did you graduate from college at 28? (Later than expected.)
為什麼現在才告訴我今天是你生日？为什么现在才告诉我今天是你生日？
Why are you only telling me now that today is your birthday?
我昨天趕報告，一直到半夜3點才睡我昨天赶报告，一直到半夜3点才睡
I was rushing to finish a report yesterday, so I didn’t go to sleep until 3am.
💡 FYI
才 cái marks lateness. If you want to express the opposite — that something happened earlier than expected — use 就就 jiù instead.
3 Omitting the Time Word
When it’s clear from context, the time word can be dropped and 才 cái does the work alone.
你才來，電影都開始了！你才来，电影都开始了！
You’ve just arrived, and the movie has already started!
你怎麼才說，大家剛剛問你時幹嘛不說你怎么才说，大家刚刚问你时干嘛不说
Why did you only say it now? You stayed quiet when everyone was just asking you.
💡 FYI
幹嘛干嘛 gànmá is a very common colloquial word in Taiwan Mandarin. It can mean “why” (e.g. 幹嘛干嘛 gànmá 不不 bù 試試看试试看 shìshì kàn？— why not give it a try?) or “what are you doing” (e.g. 你你 nǐ 在在 zài 幹嘛干嘛 gànmá？— what are you doing?), depending on context.
4 Common Mistakes
❌
他到70歲才結婚了他到70岁才结婚了
✅
他到70歲才結婚呢他到70岁才结婚呢
才 cái never takes the sentence-final “new situation” 了了 le — that’s just the rule. If you want to soften the sentence, add 呢呢 ne at the end instead.
5 Practice
Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.
01You just know it now?
你現在才知道啊？你现在才知道啊？
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02I’ve just left the house, so I might be late. Sorry about that.
我剛剛才出門，應該會遲到，不好意思我刚刚才出门，应该会迟到，不好意思
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03You’re only seeing this website now — a bit late, but not too late. 😎
你現在才看到這個網站，有點晚但不算太晚你现在才看到这个网站，有点儿晚但不算太晚
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04I only found out about this last week.
我上個星期才知道這件事我上个星期才知道这件事
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05He only came back yesterday.
他昨天才回來他昨天才回来
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06I waited an hour before he came.
我等了一個小時，他才來我等了一个小时，他才来
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07Why are you only getting up now?
你怎麼現在才起床？你怎么现在才起床？
👆 Tap to reveal
08You studied Chinese for 2 years before you passed HSK2?
你學了2年中文才通過HSK2嗎？你学了2年中文才通过HSK2吗？
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