Cái 才：three ways to say “unless . . . ”; “onl - Cchatty

Cái 才：three ways to say “unless . . . ”; “only if . . . ” . . . cái . . . ( . . 才 . . . ):

I’ll go only if you go.
Nǐ qù, wǒ cái qù.
你去，我才去。
Literally: You go, and only then will I go.

Chúfēi . . . , cái . . . = 除非 . . . ，才 . . .

I won’t go unless you go.
Chúfēi nǐ qù, wǒ cái qù.
除非你去，我才去。
Literally: Unless you go, only then will I go.

Zhǐ yǒu . . . cái néng . . . = 只有 . . . 才能 . . .

I can only go if my parents give me the money.
Zhǐ yǒu wǒ fùmǔ gěi wǒ qián, wǒ cái néng qù.
只有我父母给我钱，我才能去。