Harder – 才 cái Grammar

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, 才 cái can be used to express that something happens harder than expected. It is often used to emphasize the delay or the unexpectedness of a certain event or situation.

Structure

Unexpected statement + 才 cái + result

我wǒ學xué了le一個月yígeyuè的de西班牙文xībānyáwén了le， 才cái會huì簡單jiǎndān地de打招呼dǎzhāohū我wǒ学xué了le一个月yígeyuè的de西班牙文xībānyáwén了le， 才cái会huì简单jiǎndān地de打招呼dǎzhāohū
I’ve been learning Spanish for a month now, and I can only say hello in a simple way.

我wǒ去qù了le五wǔ次cì才cái找zhǎo到dào那個nàge餐廳cāntīng我wǒ去qù了le五wǔ次cì才cái找zhǎo到dào那个nàge餐厅cāntīng
I went five times before I finally found that restaurant.

我wǒ等děng了le兩個liǎngge小時xiǎoshí才cái見到jiàndào醫生yīshēng我wǒ等děng了le两个liǎngge小时xiǎoshí才cái见到jiàndào医生yīshēng
I waited for two hours before I finally saw the doctor.

我wǒ看kàn了le三sān遍biàn才cái明白míngbái這個zhège問題wèntí的de答案dáàn我wǒ看kàn了le三sān遍biàn才cái明白míngbai这个zhèige问题wèntí的de答案dáàn
It took me three times of reading before I understood the answer to this question.

他tā試shì了le很hěn多duō次cì才cái通過tōngguò了leHSK 考试kǎoshì他tā试shì了le很hěn多duō次cì才cái通过tōngguò了leHSK 考试kǎoshì
He tried many times before passing the HSK test.

我wǒ其實qíshí重chóng做zuò了le三sān次cì， 才cái有yǒu現在xiànzài這個zhège網站wǎngzhàn我wǒ其实qíshí重chóng做zuò了le三sān次cì， 才cái有yǒu现在xiànzài这个zhège网站wǎngzhàn
I actually redid it three times before I had this site now.

• If you want to express that something happens easier than expected, you should use 就 jiù.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ I failed many times before I succeeded now.

我wǒ失敗shībài了le很hěn多duō次cì， 才cái有yǒu現在xiànzài的de成功chénggōng我wǒ失败shībài了le很hěn多duō次cì， 才cái有yǒu现在xiànzài的de成功chénggōng

✔️ I dated a lot of guys before I found my husband now.

我wǒ交往jiāowǎng了le很hěn多duō男生nánshēng才cái找zhǎo到dào我wǒ現在xiànzài的de先生xiānshēng我wǒ交往jiāowǎng了le很hěn多duō男生nánshēng才cái找zhǎo到dào我wǒ现在xiànzài的de先生xiānsheng

✔️ She saved her salary for 30 years before she finally bought a house.

她tā存cún了le30 年nián的de薪水xīnshuǐ才cái終於zhōngyú買mǎi到dào房子fángzi她tā攒zǎn了le30 年nián的de工资gōngzī才cái终于zhōngyú买mǎi到dào房子fángzi

Other 才 cái related posts:

• 才 cái Chinese Grammar