HSK 3
Correct
就 vs 才
/ jiù vs cái /
Strokes
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Formula
1
就 + Verb + …… + 了
2
才 + Verb + ……
3
就 + Verb + …… + 了
4
才 + Verb + ……
5
要是……就……
6
为了......才
7
就 + Verb
8
Verb1 + 了 + Object1 + Verb2 + Object2
9
就 （只）+ Quantitative Phrase/Noun phrase
10
就（才）（只）+ Quantitative Phrase
Definition
就 and 才 both are Adverbs, used to express time or quantity:
就 is used to indicate the speaker feels it is early, a short period of time, a large quantity
才 is used to indicate the speaker feels it is late, a long period of time, a small quantity
They are also used as Conjunctions, collocate with different words.
Example
就 and 才, used to indicate time - 1
就 indicates the speaker feels it is early, 才 means the speaker feels it is late.
In such sentences, 就 and 才 are pronounced in the neutral tone, below.
In such sentences, 就 and 才 are pronounced in the neutral tone, below.
就 + Verb + …… + 了
才 + Verb + ……
1
Huìyì
会议
liǎngdiǎn
两点
kāishǐ
开始
,
tā
他
yī
一
diǎn
点
jiù
就
lái
来
le
了
。
(
rènwéi
认为
láide
来得
zǎo
早
。
)
The meeting will start at 2 o'clock, but he came at 1 o'clock. (The speaker thinks he came early.)
2
Huìyì
会议
shíèr
十二
diǎn
点
kāishǐ
开始
,
tā
他
yī
一
diǎn
点
cái
才
lái
来
。
(
rènwéi
认为
láide
来得
wǎn
晚
。
)
The meeting started at 12 o'clock, but he came at 1 o'clock. (The speaker thinks he came late.
就 and 才, used to indicate time - 2
就 means the speaker thinks having taken only a short time, while 才 means having taken a long time.
就 + Verb + …… + 了
才 + Verb + ……
3
Zhè
这
dào
道
shùxuétí
数学题
fēicháng
非常
nán
难
,
kě
可
tā
他
huā
花
le
了
bàn
半
ge
个
xiǎoshí
小时
jiù
就
zuò
做
chūlái
出来
le
了
。
(
rènwéi
认为
yòng
用
de
的
shíjiān
时间
duǎn
短
。
)
This mathematical problem is very difficult, but he just spent half an hour to solve it. (The speaker thinks it took him a short time.)
4
Zhè
这
dào
道
shùxuétí
数学题
fēicháng
非常
jiǎndān
简单
,
kě
可
tā
他
huā
花
le
了
bàn
半
ge
个
xiǎoshí
小时
cái
才
zuò
做
chūlái
出来
。
(
rènwéi
认为
yòng
用
de
的
shíjiān
时间
cháng
长
。
)
This mathematical problem is very easy, but it took him half an hour to solve it. (The speaker thinks it took him a long time.)
就 and 才, used to indicate quantity
就 means the speaker thinks it is a large quantity, while 才, a small quantity.
5
Tā
他
jīngcháng
经常
kàn
看
diànyǐng
电影
,
yǒushíhou
有时候
yī
一
tiān
天
jiù
就
kàn
看
liǎng
两
cháng
场
。
He watches movie often, sometimes he watches two movies a day. (To indicate a large quantity.)
6
Tā
他
bùzěnme
不怎么
kàn
看
diànyǐng
电影
,
yī
一
gè
个
yuè
月
cái
才
kàn
看
yī
一
cì
次
。
He doesn't watch movie often, usually he watches movie once a month. (To indicate a small quantity.)
就 and 才, used as Conjunctions - 1
就 and 才, collocate with different words,
就 is often used with hypothetical conjunction to indicate an assumption, such as 如果, 只要, 既然 or 要是……就……, etc.
就 is often used with hypothetical conjunction to indicate an assumption, such as 如果, 只要, 既然 or 要是……就……, etc.
要是……就……
7
Yàoshi
要是
nǐ
你
bù
不
xiǎng
想
chūqù
出去
,
jiù
就
zài
在
jiālǐ
家里
hǎohǎo
好好
xiūxi
休息
bā
吧
。
If you don't want to go out, then just have a rest at home.
8
Jìrán
既然
nǐ
你
duì
对
yīnyuè
音乐
bù
不
gǎn
感
xìngqù
兴趣
,
wǒ
我
jiù
就
bù
不
hé
和
nǐ
你
liáo
聊
zhège
这个
le
了
。
Since you're not interested in music, I won't talk music with you.
就 and 才, used as Conjunctions - 2
就 and 才, collocate with different words,
才 is often used with conjunction indicating reason or purpose, such as 只有, 因为 or 为了......才, etc.
才 is often used with conjunction indicating reason or purpose, such as 只有, 因为 or 为了......才, etc.
为了......才
9
Zhīyǒu
只有
nǐ
你
qù
去
cānjiā
参加
wǔhuì
舞会
,
wǒ
我
cái
才
qù
去
。
Only you attend a dancing party will I attend.
10
Wèile
为了
xuéhǎo
学好
hànyǔ
汉语
,
wǒ
我
cái
才
lái
来
zhōngguó
中国
de
的
。
I came to China only for learning Chinese well.
就 means immediately
就 can link two events and indicates that the two events occur one immediately after another other.
就 + Verb
Verb1 + 了 + Object1 + Verb2 + Object2
11
A
A
:
kuài
快
diǎnr
点儿
!
B
B
:
jiù
就
lái
来
,
jiù
就
lái
来
!
A: Hurry up! B: Coming, coming !
12
Dàwèi
大卫
xià
下
le
了
kè
课
jiù
就
qù
去
túshūguǎn
图书馆
。
David is going to library immediately after class.
就 （只）+ Quantitative Phrase/Noun phrase
就 may emphasize that except this there is no other choice, excluding others, while 才 cannot,
here, 只 has the same meanings as 就.
here, 只 has the same meanings as 就.
就 （只）+ Quantitative Phrase/Noun phrase
13
Zhème
这么
duō
多
shū
书
lǐ
里
,
jiù
就
(
zhī
只
)
yǒu
有
zhè
这
běn
本
shū
书
hǎokàn
好看
。
Of all the books, this one is the best.
就（才）（只）+ Quantitative Phrase
for emphasizing a small quantity, an adverb can be followed by numeral-measure word phrase.
就（才）（只）+ Quantitative Phrase
14
Jīntiān
今天
shàngkè
上课
de
的
rén
人
hěn
很
shǎo
少
,
jiù
就
(
cái
才
)
(
zhī
只
)
sān
三
gè
个
rén
人
。
There are very few people in class today, only three.
Exercise
Complete the following dialogues with 就 or 才:
A: 小军，你打算明天几点到？
B: 早点儿，7点半（ ）到。
A: 7点半到还早吗？还要做演出的准备工作呢！
B: 表演8点（ ）开始,半个小时（ ）足够了。
A: 对啊，8点（ ）开始了，至少得一个小时（ ）能够准备好。
B: 不需要这么长时间吧，我还想多睡会儿呢！
A: 你（ ）只知道睡觉，现在做好演出工作（ ）是最重要的事情。
B: 好吧，那我明天6点半（ ）到。你别生气，因为这几天太累了，所以我想睡觉。