才
ability; talent; sb of a certain type; a capable individual; then and only then; just now; (before an expression of quantity) only; (emphatic, esp. in contrast or correction) really; actually; (variant of 才[cai2]) just now; (variant of 才[cai2]) (before an expression of quantity) only
Closest English meanings
talent·ability·just·only
The Calligrapher — Lǐ Sī 李斯
Qin chancellor who standardized the small-seal script for China's first empire.
Qin calligrapher (约前284–前208), master of small seal script — Qin chancellor who standardized the small-seal script for the first empire. Qin dynasty
Cultural Story
才 is the native gift, the timber in a man that needs no carving to show. The histories praise 人才 the uncommon man, and 天才 was the heaven-sent few. The character once showed a shoot breaking soil — ability as something that grows. It is the endowment, not the training.
Common words & phrases
- 才能 ability · talent · capability · capacity
- 人才 talent · qualified person · personnel
- 天才 genius · gift · talent
- 才华 talent · brilliance · literary talent
- 刚才 just now · a moment ago
- 才干 ability · competence · capability
Read the story behind the character
才 is the capacity and the moment: 才能 the thing you bring, 人才 the hire, 天才 the child on the poster. 才华 is the writing everyone quotes, 才干 the competence that gets you promoted. 刚才 is the just-now of the story you are telling. It does gift and recency in one small character.
Own this character
Purchase delivers the original SVG of this glyph, brushed by Lǐ Sī 李斯, ready to place on skin, paper, or screen.