才

See also: 扌, オ, 孑, and 𬺱

才 U+624D, 才
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-624D
← 扌
[U+624C] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 扎 →
[U+624E]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

Traditional
Simplified
Japanese
Korean

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

Derived characters

Additional Derived Characters
  • 𠆫, 𠮹, 𰌜, 𬁱, 𥘔, 𲀦, 𦨑, 𰀑, 𲁡, 𪟞, 𱠋, 𧆯, 𰏚, 𩵝, 𭨟
  • 𰅡, 𨙴, 𰝸, 𦬁, 𱷯, 𪪋, 𬏛, 𧛌, 𩛥

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

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 () (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) — a sharp peg. Same as 弋 and 尗. See also the top component of 𢦏.

Xu Shen erroneously analyzed this character as a sprout growing from the ground.

Etymology 1

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsa ~ za (“child, offspring, relatives; to come forth (as child at birth); to love; loving”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007). "Birth" and "natural characteristic / endowments" are semantically connected, compare 生 (OC *sʰleːŋ, *sreŋs, “live, give birth”) and its derivative 性 (OC *sleŋs, “nature; character; personality; quality”) & 姓 (OC *sleŋs, “family name”). Cognate with 子 ("son").

Derivatives: 材 (OC *zlɯː, “material; timber”), 財 (OC *zlɯː, “riches; property; money”), and 存 ("to exist").

Pronunciation

Note:
  • cài - vernacular;
  • chài - literary (奴才);
  • còi - vernacular (秀才).
Note:
  • châi - vernacular;
  • chhâi - literary (classifier).
Note: zai5 - used in 秀才.
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/
Bernhard
Karlgren 		/d͡zʱɑ̆i/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		cái
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		coi4
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
Rime
group 		之
Rime
subdivision 		0
Corresponding
MC rime 		裁
Old
Chinese 		/*zlɯː/

Definitions

才

  1. ability; gift; talent; capability
    alt. forms: 材 (cái)
  2. talented person; talent
  3. one with a certain status or background
  4. alternative form of 材 (cái, “material”)
  5. (Southern Min) alternative form of 材 (“classifier for volume (of wood) and area (of paper, glass, stone, curtain, etc.)”)
  6. a surname

Compounds

  • 一展長才 / 一展长才
  • 一表人才 (yībiǎoréncái)
  • 七步之才
  • 七步奇才
  • 下才
  • 三才 (sāncái)
  • 三才圖會 / 三才图会
  • 不成才
  • 不才 (bùcái)
  • 不良才
  • 中才
  • 乾奴才 / 干奴才
  • 人才 (réncái)
  • 人才出眾 / 人才出众
  • 人才外流 (réncái wàiliú)
  • 人才庫 / 人才库 (réncáikù)
  • 人才濟濟 / 人才济济 (réncáijǐjǐ)
  • 人才輩出 / 人才辈出 (réncáibèichū)
  • 人才難得 / 人才难得
  • 人盡其才 / 人尽其才
  • 仙才
  • 作育英才
  • 佳人才子
  • 偏才
  • 傲世輕才 / 傲世轻才
  • 內才 / 内才
  • 全才 (quáncái)
  • 八斗之才
  • 八斗才 (bādǒucái)
  • 公才公望
  • 六才子書 / 六才子书
  • 冠世之才
  • 凡才
  • 出倫之才 / 出伦之才
  • 力薄才疏
  • 匡濟之才 / 匡济之才
  • 博學多才 / 博学多才 (bóxuéduōcái)
  • 取才 (qǔcái)
  • 口才 (kǒucái)
  • 口才辨給 / 口才辨给
  • 可憎才
  • 吃敲才
  • 命世之才 (mìngshì zhī cái)
  • 命世才
  • 善才
  • 喬才 / 乔才
  • 善才童子
  • 四才子
  • 外才
  • 多事逞才
  • 多才 (duōcái)
  • 多才多藝 / 多才多艺 (duōcáiduōyì)
  • 大才 (dàcái)
  • 大才槃槃
  • 天才 (tiāncái)
  • 天才兒童 / 天才儿童
  • 天才教育
  • 天才橫溢 / 天才横溢
  • 天縱之才 / 天纵之才
  • 奇才 (qícái)
  • 奇才異能 / 奇才异能
  • 女秀才
  • 女貌郎才
  • 奴才 (núcái)
  • 妙才
  • 學優才贍 / 学优才赡
  • 學淺才疏 / 学浅才疏
  • 學疏才淺 / 学疏才浅
  • 專才 / 专才 (zhuāncái)
  • 將才 / 将才 (jiāngcái)
  • 專業人才 / 专业人才 (zhuānyè réncái)
  • 將遇良才 / 将遇良才
  • 少年才俊
  • 尺二秀才
  • 屈才 (qūcái)
  • 展才
  • 幹才 / 干才
  • 庸才 (yōngcái)
  • 廩膳秀才 / 廪膳秀才
  • 徵才 / 征才 (zhēngcái)
  • 德才兼備 / 德才兼备 (décáijiānbèi)
  • 德薄才疏
  • 志大才疏 (zhìdàcáishū)
  • 志大才短
  • 志廣才疏 / 志广才疏
  • 忌才 (jìcái)
  • 恃才傲物
  • 恃才矜己
  • 恃才自專 / 恃才自专
  • 意廣才疏 / 意广才疏
  • 愛才 / 爱才 (àicái)
  • 愛才如命 / 爱才如命 (àicáirúmìng)
  • 愛才好士 / 爱才好士
  • 愛才若渴 / 爱才若渴
  • 憐才 / 怜才
  • 懷才不遇 / 怀才不遇 (huái cái bù yù)
  • 懷才抱德 / 怀才抱德
  • 才人 (cáirén)
  • 才俊 (cáijùn)
  • 才儲八斗
  • 才具 (cáijù)
  • 才兼文武
  • 才分 (cáifèn)
  • 才力 (cáilì)
  • 才勇兼優 / 才勇兼优
  • 才名 (cáimíng)
  • 才器 (cáiqì)
  • 才士
  • 才大難用 / 才大难用
  • 才女 (cáinǚ)
  • 才如史遷 / 才如史迁
  • 才始
  • 才媛
  • 才子 (cáizǐ)
  • 才子佳人 (cáizǐ jiārén)
  • 才子書 / 才子书
  • 才學 / 才学 (cáixué)
  • 才學兼優 / 才学兼优
  • 才守
  • 才幹 / 才干 (cáigàn)
  • 才廣妨身 / 才广妨身
  • 才微智淺 / 才微智浅
  • 才德兼備 / 才德兼备 (cáidéjiānbèi)
  • 才怪 (cáiguài)
  • 才思 (cáisī)
  • 才思敏捷 (cáisīmǐnjié)
  • 才悟
  • 才情 (châi-chêng) (Min Nan)
  • 才料
  • 才智 (cáizhì)
  • 才望 (cáiwàng)
  • 才氣 / 才气 (cáiqì)
  • 才氣無雙 / 才气无双
  • 才為世出 / 才为世出
  • 才略 (cáilüè)
  • 才當曹斗
  • 才疏學淺 / 才疏学浅 (cáishūxuéqiǎn)
  • 才疏德薄
  • 才疏志大
  • 才疏意廣 / 才疏意广
  • 才疏計拙 / 才疏计拙
  • 才短氣粗 / 才短气粗
  • 才秀人微
  • 才筆 / 才笔 (cáibǐ)
  • 才緒 / 才绪
  • 才能 (cáinéng)
  • 才能幹濟 / 才能干济
  • 才色 (cáisè)
  • 才華 / 才华 (cáihuá)
  • 才蔽識淺 / 才蔽识浅
  • 才藝 / 才艺 (cáiyì)
  • 才藝班 / 才艺班
  • 才藻
  • 才語 / 才语
  • 才調 / 才调 (cáidiào)
  • 才識 / 才识 (cáishí)
  • 才貌 (cáimào)
  • 才貌雙全 / 才貌双全
  • 才貫二酉 / 才贯二酉
  • 才賦 / 才赋 (cáifù)
  • 才路
  • 才輕德薄 / 才轻德薄
  • 才過子建 / 才过子建
  • 才過屈宋 / 才过屈宋
  • 才難 / 才难
  • 才非玉潤 / 才非玉润
  • 才高八斗 (cáigāobādǒu)
  • 才高意廣 / 才高意广
  • 才高氣傲 / 才高气傲
  • 才高行厚
  • 才高行潔 / 才高行洁
  • 捷才
  • 掃眉才子 / 扫眉才子
  • 揚己露才 / 扬己露才
  • 撥亂之才 / 拨乱之才
  • 文才 (wéncái)
  • 文武全才
  • 斗筲之才
  • 曠世奇才 / 旷世奇才
  • 曠世逸才 / 旷世逸才 (kuàngshìyìcái)
  • 有才 (yǒucái)
  • 有才無命 / 有才无命
  • 未易才
  • 朽木之才
  • 槃才
  • 槃槃大才
  • 歪才
  • 歷練之才 / 历练之才
  • 殺才 / 杀才
  • 求才
  • 求才若渴
  • 江淹才盡 / 江淹才尽
  • 江郎才盡 / 江郎才尽 (jiānglángcáijìn)
  • 沿才授職 / 沿才授职
  • 洛陽才子 / 洛阳才子
  • 滿腹才學 / 满腹才学
  • 潑才 / 泼才
  • 濟世之才 / 济世之才
  • 片善小才
  • 特殊才能
  • 狗才
  • 王佐之才
  • 玉尺量才
  • 瑣才 / 琐才
  • 甄才品能
  • 畎畝下才 / 畎亩下才
  • 異才 / 异才 (yìcái)
  • 當世才度 / 当世才度
  • 痛失英才
  • 白鶴秀才 / 白鹤秀才
  • 百里之才
  • 真才實學 / 真才实学 (zhēncáishíxué)
  • 矜才使氣 / 矜才使气
  • 矜能負才 / 矜能负才
  • 碌碌庸才
  • 秀才 (xiùcái)
  • 秀才人情
  • 秀才造反
  • 絕才 / 绝才 (juécái)
  • 經世之才 / 经世之才
  • 經國之才 / 经国之才
  • 經濟之才 / 经济之才
  • 美才
  • 聰明才智 / 聪明才智 (cōngmíngcáizhì)
  • 育才 (yùcái)
  • 茂才 (màocái)
  • 英才 (yīngcái)
  • 英才俊偉 / 英才俊伟
  • 茂才異等 / 茂才异等
  • 菲才寡學 / 菲才寡学
  • 蓋世之才 / 盖世之才
  • 蓋世雄才 / 盖世雄才
  • 行短才喬 / 行短才乔
  • 行短才高
  • 詠雪之才 / 咏雪之才
  • 誇才賣智 / 夸才卖智
  • 謏才 / 𫍲才
  • 謊敲才 / 谎敲才
  • 識多才廣 / 识多才广
  • 識才尊賢 / 识才尊贤
  • 負才 / 负才
  • 負才任氣 / 负才任气
  • 負才使氣 / 负才使气
  • 賤才 / 贱才
  • 賢才 / 贤才 (xiáncái)
  • 赤才 (Chìcái)
  • 超世之才
  • 趫才 / 𰷶才
  • 軟人才 / 软人才
  • 輇才 / 辁才
  • 辯才 / 辩才 (biàncái)
  • 辯才無礙 / 辩才无碍 (biàncáiwú'ài)
  • 通人達才 / 通人达才
  • 通才 (tōngcái)
  • 通才教育
  • 通才練識 / 通才练识
  • 逸才 (yìcái)
  • 逸群之才
  • 過人才略 / 过人才略
  • 適才 / 适才 (shìcái)
  • 遺才 / 遗才
  • 郎才女姿
  • 郎才女貌
  • 野無遺才 / 野无遗才
  • 量才錄用 / 量才录用
  • 長才 / 长才 (chángcái)
  • 隨才器使 / 随才器使
  • 雄才大略 (xióngcáidàlüè)
  • 需才孔亟
  • 露才揚己 / 露才扬己
  • 霸才
  • 非才
  • 風流才子 / 风流才子
  • 飽學秀才 / 饱学秀才
  • 驚才絕豔 / 惊才绝艳
  • 高才 (gāocái)
  • 高才卓識 / 高才卓识
  • 高才博學 / 高才博学
  • 高才大學 / 高才大学
  • 高才大德
  • 高才捷足
  • 高才生
  • 高才碩學 / 高才硕学
  • 高才絕學 / 高才绝学
  • 高才遠識 / 高才远识
  • 鬼才 (guǐcái)

Etymology 2

trad. 才/纔*
simp. 才
alternative forms 裁

Pronunciation

Note:
  • chăi - vernacular;
  • chài - literary.
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/
Bernhard
Karlgren 		/d͡zʱɑ̆i/ /d͡zʱɑ̆iH/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		cái zài
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		coi4 zoi6
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 才 才
Reading # 1/2 2/2
No. 1061 1220
Phonetic
component
Rime
group 		之 之
Rime
subdivision 		0 0
Corresponding
MC rime 		裁 載
Old
Chinese 		/*zlɯː/ /*zlɯːs/

Definitions

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
    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?
    Synonym: 剛 / 刚
  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 a statement.
    我才是張三。／我才是张三。  ―  Wǒ cái shì Zhāng Sān.  ―  I'm Zhang San (not that someone else is Zhang San).
    我才沒有騙人。／我才没有骗人。  ―  Wǒ cái méiyǒu piànrén.  ―  I for real did not fool someone.
    我才不要你管。  ―  Wǒ cái bù yào nǐ guǎn.  ―  I literally don't need you to manage me.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 才 (“only after; only then; not ... until”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 才2, 再, 方, 始, 方才
Northeastern Mandarin Taiwan 才2
Singapore 才2
Cantonese Guangzhou 先, 至, 先至
Hong Kong 先, 至, 先至
Hakka Meixian 正
Southern Min Xiamen 才3
Quanzhou 才3
Zhangzhou 才3
Singapore (Hokkien) 才3
Manila (Hokkien) 才3
Shantou 正
Singapore (Teochew) 正
Wu Shanghai 再, 才2
Suzhou 再
Xiang Changsha 才至

Compounds

Etymology 3

simp. and trad.
 才
alternative forms 乍 Eastern Min
則／则
即
者
隻／只

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

Pronunciation

Definitions

才 (Min)

  1. only; merely
  2. just; just now; a moment ago
    才看𡅏電影。 [Eastern Min, trad.]
    才看𡅏电影。 [Eastern Min, simp.]
    Ciáh káng lā̤ diêng-īng. / [t͡siɑʔ²⁴ kʰɑŋ²¹³ l̃ɛ³³ tieŋ²⁴²⁻⁵³ (Ø-)ŋiŋ³³] [Bàng-uâ-cê / IPA]
    [I] just watched a movie.
  3. only then; only after
  4. Used to emphasize that something is/is not.

Synonyms

  • (just now):
  • (only then):
Dialectal synonyms of 才 (“only after; only then; not ... until”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 才2, 再, 方, 始, 方才
Northeastern Mandarin Taiwan 才2
Singapore 才2
Cantonese Guangzhou 先, 至, 先至
Hong Kong 先, 至, 先至
Hakka Meixian 正
Southern Min Xiamen 才3
Quanzhou 才3
Zhangzhou 才3
Singapore (Hokkien) 才3
Manila (Hokkien) 才3
Shantou 正
Singapore (Teochew) 正
Wu Shanghai 再, 才2
Suzhou 再
Xiang Changsha 才至

Compounds

  • 上轎才欲放尿 / 上轿才欲放尿
  • 十二月食菜頭，六月才轉嗽 / 十二月食菜头，六月才转嗽
  • 嫌貨才是買貨人 / 嫌货才是买货人
  • 愛拚才會贏 / 爱拚才会赢
  • 才好
  • 手抱孩兒，才知爸母時 / 手抱孩儿，才知爸母时
  • 才是
  • 才會 / 才会
  • 拄才 (tú-chiah)
  • 時到時擔當，無米才煮番薯湯 / 时到时担当，无米才煮番薯汤
  • 會跋才會大 / 会跋才会大
  • 毋才 (m̄-chiah)
  • 雙手抱孩兒，才知爸母時 / 双手抱孩儿，才知爸母时

Further reading

Etymology 4

For pronunciation and definitions of 才 – see 儕 (“(Wu) all; completely; each and every one out of a determinate quantity; always; under all circumstances”).
(This character is a variant form of 儕).

Etymology 5

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

Etymology 6

For pronunciation and definitions of 才 – see 在 (“to exist; to be present; to be alive; to be at; to be in; to be located; etc.”).
(This character is an ancient form of 在).

References

Japanese

Kanji

才

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

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

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
才
さい
Grade: 2
kan'on

Pronunciation

Noun

才(さい) • (sai) 

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

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
才
さい
Grade: 2
kan'on
For pronunciation and definitions of 才 – see the following entry.
【歳さい】S
[suffix] [from early 800s] -year-old
Alternative spelling
サイ
(This term, 才, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Korean

Hanja

才 (eumhun 재주 재 (jaeju jae))

  1. hanja form? of 재 (“talent”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
才

Han character

才: Hán Nôm readings: tài[1][2][3][4][5][6]

  1. ability; talent
    • 1820, 阮攸 [Nguyễn Du], compiled by Liễu Văn Đường, 傳翹 [Truyện Kiều], published 1866, line 2:
      𡦂(chữ)才(tài)𡦂(chữ)命(mệnh)窖(khéo)⿱罒𪜀(là)恄(ghét)饒(nhau)
      Talent and fate are always apt to strife.

References

  1. ^ Nguyễn (2014).
  2. ^ Trần (2004).
  3. ^ Nguyễn et al. (2009).
  4. ^ Bonet (1899).
  5. ^ Génibrel (1898).
  6. ^ Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).
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