Adverbs / 副词
才 vs 就
late/only vs early/already — the hardest HSK 4 adverb pair
Comparison / 对比
| 才 cái | 就 jiù | |
|---|---|---|
| Time feel | Later than expected / too slow | Earlier than expected / fast |
| Quantity | Only (少): 才三个人 | Already (多): 就三个人 |
| Condition | Only if / not until: 你来了我才走 | As soon as: 你一来我就走 |
| Tone | Implies difficulty or reluctance | Implies ease or quickness |
Examples / 例句
才: 他九点才来，迟到了半个小时。
He didn't come until 9 — half an hour late. (later than expected)
就: 他八点就来了，比谁都早。
He came as early as 8 — earlier than anyone. (earlier than expected)
Quick rule: 才 always implies 'later/less than expected' and often carries a negative tone. 就 implies 'sooner/more than expected' and sounds positive or neutral. This distinction is tested constantly in HSK 4 fill-in-the-blank.
Fill in the Blank / 填空练习
Type the correct word to complete each sentence. Press Enter or click Check.
他学了三年中文，会说一点点。
她一听到这个消息，高兴得跳了起来。
这本书我看了两页，太难了。
Quick Quiz / 小测验
电影七点开始，他七点半到。
Arriving at 7:30 for a 7:00 movie = late → 才 (later than expected).
我们约的九点，她八点来了。
Arriving at 8:00 for a 9:00 appointment = early → 就 (earlier than expected).
这本书三十块钱，很便宜。
Only 30 yuan = less than expected → 才 (emphasizing 'only').