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How to say “only after” with 才 (cái) in Chinese

Condition, + 才 (cái) + Result

Expressing "only after" with "才 (cái)"

HSK 3Conditional Statements

Rule structure

只有 (zhǐyǒu)/必须 (bìxū)… 才 (cái)… means "only after/if… then…" and sets a necessary condition.

Examples

只有你道歉，我才原谅你。

Zhǐyǒu nǐ dàoqiàn, wǒ cái yuánliàng nǐ.

Only if you apologize will I forgive you.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Expressing "only after" with "才 (cái)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: Condition, + 才 (cái) + Result. For example: 只有你道歉，我才原谅你。 — “Only if you apologize will I forgive you.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

只有你道歉，我才原谅你。 — “Only if you apologize will I forgive you.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 3.

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