刚 vs 才 vs 刚才

刚, 才 and 刚才, these three words all relate to recent actions or time, but they differ in usage, grammar, and nuance. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. 刚 (gāng) – "Just Now" (Action Recently Happened)

Usage:

• Indicates an action just happened (a short time ago).
• Cannot be used with time phrases (e.g., "5 minutes ago").
• Often paired with 就 (jiù) to show quick succession.

Examples:

• 他刚走。 (Tā gāng zǒu.) 

→ "He just left." (A few moments ago.)

• 我刚吃完饭。 (Wǒ gāng chī wán fàn.) 

→ "I just finished eating."

Key Points:
✔ Action just happened (no exact time reference).
✔ Cannot say: ❌ "我刚五分钟前到。" (Use 刚才 instead.)
✔ Often used with 就 (jiù): 

• 我刚到家，电话就响了。 (Wǒ gāng dào jiā, diànhuà jiù xiǎng le.) 

→ "I just got home when the phone rang."

2. 才 (cái) – "Only Just" (Later Than Expected)

Usage:

• Indicates something happened later than expected.
• Often implies delay, slowness, or difficulty.
• Can be used with time phrases (e.g., "at 10 PM").

Examples:

• 他才来。 (Tā cái lái.)
  → "He only just arrived." (Late!)
• 我才知道这件事。 (Wǒ cái zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.)
  → "I only just found out about this." (Should have known earlier.)

Key Points:
✔ Later than expected (often negative tone).
✔ Can use with time: 

• 他十点才来。 (Tā shí diǎn cái lái.) 

→ "He didn’t come until 10 PM." (Late!)

3. 刚才 (gāngcái) – "Just Now" (Exact Recent Time)

Usage:

• Refers to a specific recent time (e.g., "5 minutes ago").
• Can be used before or after the subject.
• Functions like a time noun (can modify nouns).

Examples:

• 刚才你在哪儿？ (Gāngcái nǐ zài nǎr?) 

→ "Where were you just now?" (A few minutes ago.)

• 他刚才打电话了。 (Tā gāngcái dǎ diànhuà le.) 

→ "He called just now."

Key Points:
✔ Refers to a recent time (like "a moment ago").
✔ Can modify nouns: 

• 刚才的会议很重要。 (Gāngcái de huìyì hěn zhòngyào.) 

→ "The meeting just now was important."

4. Key Differences

Final Summary

• Use 刚 (gāng) for actions just happened (no exact time).
• Use 才 (cái) for late/delayed actions (often negative).
• Use 刚才 (gāngcái) for specific recent time ("a moment ago").