才

See also: 扌, オ, and 孑

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

才 (Kangxi radical 64, 手+0, 3 strokes, cangjie input 木竹 (DH), four-corner 4020₀, composition ⿹𬺰丿(GHTV) or ⿻𬺰丿(JK))

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 416, character 30
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 11769
• Dae Jaweon: page 763, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1824, character 2
• Unihan data for U+624D

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Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 才
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (才) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
茬	*zraː, *zraːʔ, *ʔsrɯ, *zrɯ
材	*zlɯː
才	*zlɯː, *zlɯːs
財	*zlɯː
鼒	*zlɯː, *ʔslɯ
在	*zlɯːʔ, *zlɯːs
豺	*zrɯː

Pictogram (象形) – sprouting of seeds.

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		才

Derivatives: 材 (OC *zlɯː, “material; timber”), 財 (OC *zlɯː, “riches; property; money”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): cái (cai²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄘㄞˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): coi⁴
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): chhòi
• Eastern Min (BUC): cài / chài / còi
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): châi / chhâi

  (Teochew, Peng'im): cai⁵ / zai⁵

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁶ze

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: cái
    • Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cái
    • Wade–Giles: tsʻai²
    • Yale: tsái
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsair
    • Palladius: цай (caj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: coi⁴
    • Yale: chòih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsoi⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: coi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhòi
    • Hakka Romanization System: coiˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: coi²
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoi̯¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: cài / chài / còi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sai⁵³/, /t͡sʰai⁵³/, /t͡søy⁵³/

Note:

• cài - vernacular;
• chài - literary (奴才);
• còi - vernacular (秀才).

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: châi
    • Tâi-lô: tsâi
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zaai
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sai²³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /t͡sai²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sai¹³/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhâi
    • Tâi-lô: tshâi
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhaai
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰai²³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰai²⁴/

Note:

• châi - vernacular;
• chhâi - literary (classifier).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: cai⁵ / zai⁵
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshâi / tsâi
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰai⁵⁵/, /t͡sai⁵⁵/

Note: zai5 - used in 秀才.

• Wu
  • (Shanghai):
    • Wugniu: ⁶ze
    • MiniDict: ze^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³ze
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ze²³/

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• Middle Chinese: dzoj

Rime
Character	才
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	從 (15)
Final (韻)	咍 (41)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	昨哉切
Baxter	dzoj
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡zʌi/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡zəi/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡zɒi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡zəj/
Li Rong	/d͡zᴀi/
Wang Li	/d͡zɒi/
Bernard Karlgren	/d͡zʱɑ̆i/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	cái
Expected Cantonese Reflex	coi4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[dz]ˤə/

  (Zhengzhang): /*zlɯː/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	才
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	cái
Middle Chinese	‹ dzoj ›
Old Chinese	/*[dz]ˁə/
English	talent, ability
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	才
Reading #	1/2
No.	1061
Phonetic component	才
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	裁
Old Chinese	/*zlɯː/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 才

1. ability; gift; talent; capability
2. talented person; talent
3. one with a certain status or background
4. (Southern Min) (deprecated template usage) Alternative form of 材 (“classifier for volume (of wood) and area (of paper, glass, stone, curtain, etc.)”).
5. a surname

Etymology 2

trad.		才/纔*
simp.		才

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): cái (cai²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄘㄞˊ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цэ (ce, I)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): coi⁴
• Eastern Min (BUC): chăi / chài
• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁶ze

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: cái
    • Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cái
    • Wade–Giles: tsʻai²
    • Yale: tsái
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsair
    • Palladius: цай (caj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: цэ (ce, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɛ²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: coi⁴
    • Yale: chòih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsoi⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: coi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chăi / chài
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰai⁵⁵/, /t͡sʰai⁵³/

Note:

• chăi - vernacular;
• chài - literary.

• Wu
  • (Shanghai):
    • Wugniu: ⁶ze
    • MiniDict: ze^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³ze
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ze²³/

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• Middle Chinese: dzoj, dzojH

Rime
Character	才	才
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Initial (聲)	從 (15)	從 (15)
Final (韻)	咍 (41)	咍 (41)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	I	I
Fanqie	昨哉切	昨代切
Baxter	dzoj	dzojH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡zʌi/	/d͡zʌiH/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡zəi/	/d͡zəiH/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡zɒi/	/d͡zɒiH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡zəj/	/d͡zəjH/
Li Rong	/d͡zᴀi/	/d͡zᴀiH/
Wang Li	/d͡zɒi/	/d͡zɒiH/
Bernard Karlgren	/d͡zʱɑ̆i/	/d͡zʱɑ̆iH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	cái	zài
Expected Cantonese Reflex	coi4	zoi6

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*zlɯː/, /*zlɯːs/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	才	才
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	1061	1220
Phonetic component	才	才
Rime group	之	之
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime	裁	載
Old Chinese	/*zlɯː/	/*zlɯːs/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 才

1. only; just; merely

   • 教室裡才五個人。 [MSC, trad.]
     教室里才五个人。 [MSC, simp.]

     Jiàoshì lǐ cái wǔ ge rén. [Pinyin]

     There are only five people in the classroom.

   1. Used in the 才……就…… structure; only; just

      • 才五點鐘他就起床了。 [MSC, trad.]
        才五点钟他就起床了。 [MSC, simp.]

        Cái wǔ diǎnzhōng tā jiù qǐchuáng le. [Pinyin]

        It's only five o'clock, yet he has already got up.

2. only a short while ago; just
   • Template:zh-syn

   • 我才來，錯過什麼了嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
     我才来，错过什么了吗？ [MSC, simp.]

     Wǒ cái lái, cuòguò shénme le ma? [Pinyin]

     I just arrived. What did I miss?

3. only after; only then; not ... until

   • 她鎖上所有的窗戶才去睡覺。 [MSC, trad.]
     她锁上所有的窗户才去睡觉。 [MSC, simp.]

     Tā suǒ shàng suǒyǒu de chuānghù cái qù shuìjiào. [Pinyin]

     She went to sleep only after locking all the windows.

   • 你怎麼現在才到。我等了一個多小時了。 [MSC, trad.]
     你怎么现在才到。我等了一个多小时了。 [MSC, simp.]

     Nǐ zěnme xiànzài cái dào. Wǒ děng le yī ge duō xiǎoshí le. [Pinyin]

     Why didn't you come until now? I've been waiting for more than an hour.

4. Used to emphasize that something is/is not.
   • 我才是張三。／我才是张三。  ―  Wǒ cái shì Zhāng Sān.  ―  I'm Zhang San (not that some else is Zhang San).
   • 我才沒有騙人。／我才没有骗人。  ―  Wǒ cái méiyǒu piànrén.  ―  I'm not lying.

Etymology 3

simp. and trad.		才
alternative forms		乍 Min Dong 則／则 即

Possibly from 正 (“just”) (Taiwan MoE).

Pronunciation

• Eastern Min (BUC): ciáh
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chiah

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• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ciáh
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siɑʔ²⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiah
    • Tâi-lô: tsiah
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ciaq
    • IPA (Xiamen): /t͡siaʔ³²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡siaʔ⁵/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡siaʔ³²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /t͡siaʔ³²/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡siaʔ³²/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 才 (Min)

1. only; merely
2. just; just now; a moment ago
3. only then; only after
4. Used to emphasize that something is/is not.

Synonyms

• (just now):

(deprecated template usage)

• 今仔 (Hokkien)
• 剛剛／刚刚 (gānggāng)
• 剛才／刚才 (gāngcái)
• 方才 (fāngcái)
• 暫／暂 (zàn) (literary)
• 站仔 (Hokkien)
• 適才／适才 (shìcái)

 

Further reading

• “Entry #215”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2023.

Etymology 4

For pronunciation and definitions of 才 – see 哉 (“begin, commence; etc.”). (This character is a variant form of 哉).

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

Kanji

才

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. age
2. years old

Readings

• Go-on: ざい (zai)
• Kan-on: さい (sai, Jōyō)
• Kun: わずかに (wazukani); ざえ (zae, 才); かど (kado, 才)

Compounds

• 才(さい)覚(かく) (saikaku)
• 才(さい)気(き) (saiki)
• 才(さい)能(のう) (sainō)
• 漫(まん)才(ざい) (manzai): a style of double act stand-up comedy

Noun

才(さい) • (sai) 

1. ability, talent, aptitude
2. simplified form of 歳
3. alternative form of the volumetric unit 抄(しょう) (shō)

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Korean

Hanja

才 (eumhun 재주 재 (jaeju jae))

1. Hanja form^? of 재 (“talent”).

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Vietnamese

Han character

才: Hán Nôm readings: tài

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.