Word: 才 (cái)

根深才会叶茂

gēn shēn cái huì Yè mào

only with deep roots will the leaves be lush

海淘的包裹要多久才能到？

Hǎitáo de bāoguǒ yào duōjiǔ cái néng dào?

How long does a package from overseas shopping take to arrive?

混凝土干了以后才能踩。

Hùnníngtǔ gānle yǐhòu cái néng cǎi.

You can only step on concrete after it has dried.

渔民等高潮过后才出海。

Yúmín děng gāocháo guòhòu cái chūhǎi.

The fishermen wait until after high tide to go out to sea.

漆器怎么保养才不会裂？

Qīqì zěnme bǎoyǎng cái búhuì liè?

How should lacquerware be cared for so it won't crack?

火车半夜才越过边界。

Huǒchē bànyè cái yuèguò biānjiè.

The train didn't cross the border until midnight.

火车在午夜才到站。

Huǒchē zài wǔyè cái dào zhàn.

The train doesn't arrive until midnight.

烈火识真金，百炼才成钢

lièhuǒ shí zhēnjīn, bǎiliàn cái chéng gāng

fierce fire reveals true gold; a hundred forgings make steel

爱拼才会赢。

Ài pīn cái huì yíng.

Whether you will succeed or not depends on your efforts.

爸爸刚刚才出门。

Bàba gānggang cái chūmén.

Dad just now went out.

牛肉要炖两个小时才软。

Niúròu yào dùn liǎng gè xiǎoshí cái ruǎn.

Beef has to be stewed for two hours before it gets tender.

现在才中午。

Xiànzài cái zhōngwǔ.

It is just noon.

现在才五点，太早了。

Xiànzài cái wǔ diǎn, tài zǎole.

It's only five o'clock - it's too early.

现在才早上七点，太早了。

Xiànzài cái zǎoshang qī diǎn, tài zǎole.

It's only seven in the morning, it's too early.

现在才6点半，怎么会堵车呢？

Xiànzài cái liù diǎn bàn, zěnme huì dǔchē ne?

How can there be a traffic jam now, as late as 6 o'clock?

用文火煮粥，才不会糊。

Yòng wénhuǒ zhǔ zhōu, cái búhuì hú.

Cook the porridge on a low flame so it won't burn.

用正版软件才能得到服务。

Yòng zhèngbǎn ruǎnjiàn cái néng dédào fúwù.

You can only get support if you use legal software.

用词得当，文章才好懂。

Yòngcí dédàng, wénzhāng cái hǎo dǒng.

Only when the wording is suitable is an essay easy to understand.

电脑是最近才发明的。

Diànnǎo shì zuìjìn cái fāmíng de.

The computer is a recent invention.

直到今早我才知道了真相。

Zhídào jīn zǎo wǒ cái zhīdàole zhēnxiàng.

Not until this morning did I learn the truth.

直到被骗以后，她才醒悟过来。

Zhídào bèi piàn yǐhòu, tā cái xǐngwù guòlái.

Only after being cheated did she see the truth.

直到那时我才真正感到害怕。

Zhídào nàshí wǒ cái zhēnzhèng gǎndào hàipà.

It wasn't until then that I felt really frightened.

石油要先提炼才能使用。

Shíyóu yào xiān tíliàn cái néng shǐyòng.

Oil has to be refined before it can be used.

种子泡水后才容易发芽。

Zhǒngzi pàoshuǐ hòu cái róngyì fāyá.

Seeds germinate easily only after being soaked in water.

站得高，才能看清全局。

Zhàn de gāo, cái néng kànqīng quánjú.

Only by standing high can you see the whole picture.

米饭要焖多久才会熟？

Mǐfàn yào mèn duōjiǔ cái huì shú?

How long does the rice need to steam covered before it's cooked?

老师的恩情，我们怎么报答才好？

Lǎoshī de ēnqíng, wǒmen zěnme bàodá cái hǎo?

How can we ever repay our teacher's kindness?

考试前才突击，很容易忘。

Kǎoshì qián cái tūjī, hěn róngyì wàng.

If you only cram right before the exam, you forget easily.

肉要先酱一晚上才好吃。

Ròu yào xiān jiàng yì wǎnshang cái hǎochī.

The meat has to be marinated in soy paste overnight to taste good.

能硬能软，才是好汉

néng yìng néng ruǎn, cái shì hǎohàn

able to be hard and able to be soft: that's a true hero

般若要靠修行才能得到。

Bōrě yào kào xiūxíng cái néng dédào.

Prajna can only be gained through spiritual practice.

荷花出水才见高低

héhuā chūshuǐ cái jiàngāodī

only when lotuses rise out of the water can you see which is taller

要多少钱才能赎他出来？

Yào duōshǎo qián cái néng shú tā chūlái?

How much money would it take to ransom him?

要很长的时间才能恢复吗？

Yào hěn cháng de shíjiān cái néng huīfù ma?

Will it take long to recover?

论文要经过老师评审才行。

Lùnwén yào jīngguò lǎoshī píngshěn cái xíng.

The paper has to be evaluated by the teachers first.

试点成功后，才会推广到全国。

Shìdiǎn chénggōng hòu, cái huì tuīguǎng dào quánguó.

Only after the pilot scheme succeeds will it be rolled out nationwide.

语言一定要自学才会学得好。

Yǔyán yídìng yào zìxué cái huì xué de hǎo.

If you want to learn a language well, learn it yourself.

说不出的，才是真苦；挠不着的，才是真痒

shuōbùchū de, cái shì zhēn kǔ; náo bù zháo de, cái shì zhēn yǎng

what can't be said is the real bitterness; what can't be scratched is the real itch

请告诉我怎样才能联络上他。

Qǐng gàosu wǒ zěnyàng cái néng liánluò shàng tā.

Please tell me how I can get in touch with him.

请把发票留好，回公司才能报销。

Qǐng bǎ fāpiào liú hǎo, huí gōngsī cái néng bàoxiāo.

Please keep the receipt, or you can't get reimbursed back at the company.

请解释一下怎么才能到那儿？

Qǐng jiěshì yíxià zěnme cái néng dào nàr?

Please explain how to get there.

谁才是我真正的父母？

Shéi cái shì wǒ zhēnzhèng de fùmǔ?

Who are my real parents?

谁笑到最后，谁才笑得最好

shéi xiào dào zuìhòu, shuí cái xiào de zuìhǎo

whoever laughs last laughs best

谥号是在人去世后才给的。

Shìhào shì zài rén qùshì hòu cái gěi de.

A posthumous title is only given after a person has died.

贴手机膜时，怎么才能不留气泡？

Tiē shǒujī mó shí, zěnme cái néng bù liú qìpào?

How can you put on a phone screen protector without leaving bubbles?

贸易要互利，才能长久。

Màoyì yào hùlì, cái néng chángjiǔ.

Trade has to benefit both sides to last.

车丢了才装锁，亡羊补牢！

Chē diū le cái zhuāng suǒ, wángyángbǔláo!

Installing a lock after the car is stolen is locking the stable door after the horse has bolted!

还有几个小时才到得了？

Háiyǒu jǐ ge xiǎoshí cái dào de le?

How many hours left till arrival?

这丫头今年才五岁。

Zhè yātou jīnnián cái wǔ suì.

This girl is only five years old.

这些堆肥要放半年才能用。

Zhèxiē duīféi yào fàng bànnián cái néng yòng.

This compost has to sit for half a year before it can be used.

这套动作你要反复操练才行。

Zhè tào dòngzuò nǐ yào fǎnfù cāoliàn cái xíng.

You have to practice this set of moves over and over.

这套家具要配套买才便宜。

Zhè tào jiājù yào pèitào mǎi cái piányi.

This furniture is only cheap if you buy it as a complete set.

这孩子才四岁，就识两百个字了。

Zhè háizi cái sì suì, jiù shí liǎng bǎi gè zì le.

This child is only four and already knows two hundred characters.

这家里应该没有男人才对。

Zhè jiālǐ yīnggāi méiyǒu nánrén cái duì.

There aren't supposed to be any men in this house.

这封信我推敲了很久才寄出去。

Zhè fēng xìn wǒ tuīqiāole hěn jiǔ cái jì chūqù.

I thought this letter over for a long time before sending it.

这才是刀！

Zhè cái shì dāo!

Now this is a knife!

这才是我们该探究的。

Zhè cái shì wǒmen gāi tànjiū de.

That's what we intend to find out.

这才算一个充分的理由。

Zhè cái suàn yí gè chōngfèn de lǐyóu.

Now that's a good reason.

这批货明天上午才能报关。

Zhè pī huò míngtiān shàngwǔ cái néng bàoguān.

This shipment can't be declared at customs until tomorrow morning.

这条法规是去年才开始实行的。

Zhè tiáo fǎguī shì qùnián cái kāishǐ shíxíng de.

This statute only came into effect last year.

这样做才对。

Zhèyàng zuò cái duì.

That's the way to do it. ["It's not right until you do it this way."]

这种水果怎样才能保鲜？

Zhèzhǒng shuǐguǒ zěnyàng cái néng bǎoxiān?

How can this kind of fruit be kept fresh?

这部电影明年才会发行。

Zhè bù diànyǐng míngnián cái huì fāxíng.

This movie won't be released until next year.

造林需要很多年才见效。

Zàolín xūyào hěn duōnián cái jiànxiào.

Afforestation takes many years to show results.

那不是刀… 这才是刀！

Nà bú shì dāo… zhè cái shì dāo!

That's not a knife... this is a knife!

那个楼盘明年才能入住。

Nàge lóupán míngnián cái néng rùzhù.

You can't move into that development until next year.

那时候，只有贵族才能读书。

Nà shíhou, zhǐyǒu guìzú cái néng dúshū.

In those days, only the nobility could get an education.

钻石需要经过切割才会闪闪发光。

Zuànshí xūyào jīngguò qiēgē cái huì shǎnshǎn fāguāng.

Diamonds have to be cut before they sparkle.

除非雨停了，我们才会出去。

Chúfēi yǔ tíngle, wǒmen cái huì chūqù.

We won't go out unless it stops raining.

饺子要蘸醋吃才好吃。

Jiǎozi yào zhàn cù chī cái hǎochī.

Dumplings taste best when dipped in vinegar.

鸡肉要先腌二十分钟，才会入味。

Jīròu yào xiān yān èrshí fēnzhōng, cái huì rùwèi.

The chicken needs to marinate for twenty minutes first to take on flavor.