HSK 2
语气副词：才、都、就、正好
yǔ qì fù cí ： cái 、 dōu 、 jiù 、 zhèng hǎo
Mood adverbs: 才、都、就、正好
Explanation
才 (cái), 都 (dōu), 就 (jiù), and 正好 (zhènghǎo) are adverbs (words that modify a verb or an adjective) of mood/tone, expressing the speaker's attitude or perception about time, quantity, or coincidence.
Subject + (time/quantity) + 才/就 + Verb; or 都 + ... + 了 le to lament 'it's already...'.
才 cái stresses later / less than expected (八点才起床 - only got up at eight); 就 jiù stresses early, fast, easy (七点半就到 - arrived as early as seven thirty); 都 dōu ... 了 le laments 'it's already gotten to...'; 正好 zhènghǎo means 'just right, exactly, coincidentally'.
就 jiù and 才 cái are opposite in their judgment of time — 就 = early/fast (the speaker feels it's fast), 才 = late/slow (the speaker feels it's slow). Sentences with 才 usually do NOT add 了 le, while sentences with 就 usually DO have 了 le.
Vietnamese learners often wrongly add 了 le to a sentence with 才 (我八点才起床了 is wrong), and often mix up 就/才 because in Vietnamese both are translated around the words 'only just' and 'already'.
Examples
Today I didn't get up until eight o'clock.
She spent a hundred yuan and only bought two books.
It's already twelve o'clock; we should go to sleep.
The class monitor had already arrived at the classroom by seven thirty.
He understood this very long sentence after just one listen.
My birthday this year falls exactly on a Sunday.
Practice
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Learn “语气副词：才、都、就、正好” effectively
The grammar point “语气副词：才、都、就、正好” (Mood adverbs: 才、都、就、正好) is one of the key structures at HSK 2. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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