▎才 A 就 B, (cái A jiù B), only just A, and B already (5)

 

Function This pattern is used to indicate the speaker’s surprise at the occurrence of an instance so soon after another.

1 蛋糕才拿來，就被大家吃完了。

Dàngāo cái nálái, jiù bèi dàjiā chīwán le.

The cake was just brought here and it has already been eaten up by everybody.

2 他上星期才拿到薪水，就已經用了一半了。

Tā shàng xīngqí cái nádào xīnshuǐ, jiù yǐjīng yòngle yíbàn le.

He just got his salary last week and he’s already used up half of it.

3 老師昨天才教過的字，學生今天就忘了。

Lǎoshī zuótiān cái jiāoguò de zì, xuéshēng jīntiān jiù wàng le.

The characters that the teacher just taught yesterday have already been forgotten by the students. (i.e., The students have already forgotten the characters that the teacher just taught yesterday.)

 

Structures The subjects in the two clauses can be identical or different.

1 她上星期才開始找房子，昨天就搬家了。(same subject)

Tā shàng xīngqí cái kāishǐ zhǎo fángzi, zuótiān jiù bānjiā le.

She only started looking for a place last week, but she already moved yesterday.

2 透過朋友的介紹，大明、小美才認識三個月，下個月就要結婚了。(same subject)

Tòuguò péngyǒu de jièshào, Dàmíng, Xiǎoměi cái rènshì sān ge yuè, xià ge yuè jiù yào jiéhūn le.

Daming and Xiaomei were introduced to each other by a friend only three months ago and they’re already planning to get married next month.

3 我們才說這幾天天氣不錯，颱風下個星期就要來了。(different subjects)

Wǒmen cái shuō zhè jǐ tiān tiānqì búcuò, táifēng xià ge xīngqí jiù yào lái le.

We were just saying that the weather has been nice these past few days and now a typhoon is going to be here next week.

4 老師才離開，學生就開始說話了。(different subjects)

Lǎoshī cái líkāi, xuéshēng jiù kāishǐ shuōhuà le.

The teacher just left and the students started chatting.

Questions：

1 那個字是不是你才教過，學生就忘了？

Nà ge zì shìbúshì nǐ cái jiāoguò, xuéshēng jiù wàng le?

Didn’t you just teach that word and the students have already forgotten it?

2 他是不是才買了腳踏車，就被偷了？

Tā shìbúshì cái mǎile jiǎotàchē, jiù bèi tōu le?

Didn’t he just buy that bike and it’s already been stolen?

3 你是不是覺得才放暑假，就要上課了？

Nǐ shìbúshì juéde cái fàng shǔjià, jiù yào shàngkè le?

Don’t you feel like you just started your summer break and it’s already time to go back to school?

 

Usage 才cái and 剛gāng are similar adverbs. However, ‘才 A 就 B’ indicates the speaker’s surprise, regret, or negative attitude, while ‘剛 A, 就 B’ is simply factual. In other words, 剛 refers to timing only, while 才 includes the speaker’s attitude. Compare the following examples.

1 我才買車，車就被偷走了。

Wǒ cái mǎi chē, chē jiù bèi tōuzǒu le.

I just bought my car and it has already been stolen.

2 我剛買車，車就被偷走了。

Wǒ gāng mǎi chē, chē jiù bèi tōuzǒu le.

I just bought my car and it was stolen.