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U+624D, 才
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-624D

[U+624C]
CJK Unified Ideographs
[U+624E]

Translingual

More information Stroke order ...

Han character

More information Traditional, Simplified ...

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

Derived characters

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

More information Historical forms of the character 才, Shang ...

Pictogram (象形) — a sharp peg. Same as and . 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 (OC *sʰleːŋ, *sreŋs, “live, give birth”) and its derivative (OC *sleŋs, “nature; character; personality; quality”) & (OC *sleŋs, “family name”). Cognate with 子 ("son").

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

Pronunciation


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

More information Rime, Character ...
More information Character, Reading # ...
More information Zhengzhang system (2003), Character ...

Definitions

  1. ability; gift; talent; capability
    alt. forms: (cái)
  2. talented person; talent
  3. one with a certain status or background
  4. alternative form of (cái, material)
  5. (Southern Min) alternative form of (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 / 才储八斗
  • 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 / 才当曹斗
  • 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

More information trad., simp. ...

Pronunciation


Note:
  • chăi - vernacular;
  • chài - literary.

More information Rime, Character ...
More information Zhengzhang system (2003), Character ...

Definitions

  1. only; just; merely
    教室 [MSC, trad.]
    教室 [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
      點鐘起床 [MSC, trad.]
      点钟起床 [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
    錯過什麼 [MSC, trad.]
    错过什么 [MSC, simp.]
    cái lái, cuòguò shénme le ma? [Pinyin]
    I just arrived. What did I miss?
    Synonym:  /
  3. only after; only then; not ... until
    所有窗戶睡覺 [MSC, trad.]
    所有窗户睡觉 [MSC, simp.]
    Tā suǒ shàng suǒyǒu de chuānghù cái qù shuìjiào. [Pinyin]
    She went to sleep only after locking all the windows.
    怎麼現在小時 [MSC, trad.]
    怎么现在小时 [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.
    張三张三   cái shì Zhāng Sān.   I'm Zhang San (not that someone else is Zhang San).
    沒有騙人没有骗人   cái méiyǒu piànrén.   I for real did not fool someone.
       cái bù yào nǐ guǎn.   I literally don't need you to manage me.

Synonyms

Compounds

Etymology 3

More information simp. and trad., alternative forms ...

Possibly from (“just”) (Taiwan MoE).

Pronunciation


Definitions

(Min)

  1. only; merely
  2. just; just now; a moment ago
    𡅏電影 [Eastern Min, trad.]
    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):

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

Etymology 5

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

Etymology 6

For pronunciation and definitions of – see (“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 ).

References

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Japanese

Kanji

(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, )かど (kado, )

Compounds

Etymology 1

More information Kanji in this term ...

Pronunciation

Noun

(さい) (sai) 

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

Etymology 2

More information Kanji in this term ...
For pronunciation and definitions of – see the following entry.
さいS
[suffix] [from early 800s] -year-old
Alternative spelling
サイ
(This term, , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Korean

Hanja

(eumhun 재주 (jaeju jae))

  1. hanja form? of (talent)

Vietnamese

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