# 才

| 才 | U+624D, &#25165; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-624D |
| ← 扌 [U+624C] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 扎 → [U+624E] |

## Translingual
### Han character

| Traditional | 才 |
| Simplified | 才 |
| Japanese | 才 |
| Korean | 才 |
才 (Kangxi radical 64, 手+0, 3 strokes, cangjie input 木竹 (DH), four-corner 4020$_0$, composition ⿹𬺰丿(GHTV) or ⿻𬺰丿(JK))

#### Derived characters

* 材 犲 䊷 (䌶) 豺 財 (财) 釮 䴭 (𬹅) 𰀑 䞗 閉 (闭) 团 鼒
* 𠄒 𠆫 𠠸 𠮹 𢩱 𤿋 𥘔 𬁱 𦨑 𩵝 𭨟 𪟞 𧆯 𨙴 𬏛 𦬁 𮮥 𪪋 𧎆 𧛌

#### 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

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 才 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 茬 | *zraː, *zraːʔ, *ʔsrɯ, *zrɯ |
| 材 | *zlɯː |
| 才 | *zlɯː, *zlɯːs |
| 財 | *zlɯː |
| 鼒 | *zlɯː, *ʔslɯ |
| 在 | *zlɯːʔ, *zlɯːs |
| 豺 | *zrɯː |
Pictogram (象形) — a sharp peg. Same as 弋 and 尗. 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 生 (OC *sʰleːŋ, *sreŋs, “live, give birth”) and its derivative 性 (OC *sleŋs, “nature; character; personality; quality”) & 姓 (OC *sleŋs, “family name”). Cognate with 子 ("son").
Derivatives: 材 (OC *zlɯː, “material; timber”), 財 (OC *zlɯː, “riches; property; money”), and 存 ("to exist").

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cái (cai$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄞˊ
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): coi$^4$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): toi$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): chhòi
    (Hailu, HRS): coi
    (Meixian, Guangdong): coi$^2$
* Eastern Min (BUC): cài / chài / còi
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): châi / chhâi
    (Teochew, Peng'im): cai$^5$ / zai$^5$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^6$ze / $^2$ze
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cái
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cái
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻai$^2$
*** Yale: tsái
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsair
*** Palladius: цай (caj)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: coi$^4$
*** Yale: chòih
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsoi$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: coi$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: toi$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /tʰᵘɔi²²/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhòi
*** Hakka Romanization System: coi$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: coi$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoi̯¹¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: coi
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoi⁵⁵/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: coi$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoɪ¹¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: cài / chài / còi
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sai⁵³/, /t͡sʰai⁵³/, /t͡søy⁵³/
* cài - vernacular;
* chài - literary (奴才);
* còi - vernacular (秀才).
* Middle Chinese: dzoj
Rime :
| Character | 才 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 從 (15) |
| Final (韻) | 咍 (41) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | I |
| Fanqie | 昨哉切 |
| Baxter | dzoj |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /d͡zʌi/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /d͡zəi/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /d͡zɒi/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /d͡zəj/ |
| Li Rong | /d͡zᴀi/ |
| Wang Li | /d͡zɒi/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /d͡zʱɑ̆i/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | cái |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | coi$^4$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[dz]ˤə/
    (Zhengzhang): /*zlɯː/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 才 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cái |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ dzoj › |
| Old Chinese | /*[dz]ˁə/ |
| English | talent, ability |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 才 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 1061 |
| Phonetic component | 才 |
| Rime group | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 裁 |
| Old Chinese | /*zlɯː/ |

#### Definitions

才
* ability; gift; talent; capability
    alt. forms: 材 (cái)
* talented person; talent
* one with a certain status or background
* Alternative form of 材 (cái, “material”)
* (Southern Min) Alternative form of 材 (“classifier for volume (of wood) and area (of paper, glass, stone, curtain, etc.)”)
* 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
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): cái (cai$^2$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄘㄞˊ
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цэ (ce, I)
* Cantonese (Jyutping): coi$^4$
* Gan (Wiktionary): cai$^2$
* Eastern Min (BUC): chăi / chài
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^6$ze / $^2$ze
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cái
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cái
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻai$^2$
*** Yale: tsái
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsair
*** Palladius: цай (caj)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: цэ (ce, I)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɛ²⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: coi$^4$
*** Yale: chòih
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsoi$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: coi$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: cai$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai²⁴/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: chăi / chài
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai⁵⁵/, /t͡sʰai⁵³/
* chăi - vernacular;
* chài - literary.
* Middle Chinese: dzoj, dzojH
Rime :
| Character | 才 | 才 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 從 (15) | 從 (15) |
| Final (韻) | 咍 (41) | 咍 (41) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | I |
| Fanqie | 昨哉切 | 昨代切 |
| Baxter | dzoj | dzojH |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /d͡zʌi/ | /d͡zʌi$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /d͡zəi/ | /d͡zəi$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /d͡zɒi/ | /d͡zɒi$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /d͡zəj/ | /d͡zəj$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /d͡zᴀi/ | /d͡zᴀi$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /d͡zɒi/ | /d͡zɒi$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /d͡zʱɑ̆i/ | /d͡zʱɑ̆i$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | cái | zài |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | coi$^4$ | zoi$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Zhengzhang): /*zlɯː/, /*zlɯːs/
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 才 | 才 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| No. | 1061 | 1220 |
| Phonetic component | 才 | 才 |
| Rime group | 之 | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 裁 | 載 |
| Old Chinese | /*zlɯː/ | /*zlɯːs/ |

#### Definitions

才
* only; just; merely
       Jiàoshì lǐ cái wǔ ge rén. [Pinyin]
       There are only five people in the classroom.
** Used in the 才……就…… structure; only; just
       Cái wǔ diǎnzhōng tā jiù qǐchuáng le. [Pinyin]
       It's only five o'clock, yet he has already got up.
* only a short while ago; just
       Wǒ cái lái, cuòguò shénme le ma? [Pinyin]
       I just arrived. What did I miss?
    Synonym: 剛 / 刚
* only after; only then; not ... until
       Tā suǒ shàng suǒyǒu de chuānghù cái qù shuìjiào. [Pinyin]
       She went to sleep only after locking all the windows.
       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.
* Used to emphasize that something is/is not.
    我才是張三。／我才是张三。 ― Wǒ cái shì Zhāng Sān. ― I'm Zhang San (not that someone else is Zhang San).
    我才沒有騙人。／我才没有骗人。 ― Wǒ cái méiyǒu piànrén. ― I'm not lying.

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 才$_2$, 再, 方, 始, 方才 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 才$_2$ |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 才$_2$ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 先, 至, 先至 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 先, 至, 先至 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 正 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 正 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 正 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 再, 才$_2$ |
| Wu | Suzhou | 再 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 才至 |

#### Compounds

* 剛才 / 刚才 (gāngcái)
* 卻才 / 却才
* 恰才 (qiàcái)
* 才則 / 才则
* 才剛 / 才刚 (cáigāng)
* 才可
* 才子 (cáizǐ)
* 才此
* 方才 (fāngcái)

### Etymology 3

Possibly from 正 (“just”) (Taiwan MoE).

#### Pronunciation

* Eastern Min (BUC): ciáh
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chiah / chah
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: ciáh
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡siɑʔ²⁴/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Hui'an, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiah
*** Tâi-lô: tsiah
*** Phofsit Daibuun: ciaq
*** IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /t͡siaʔ⁵/
*** IPA (Hui'an): /t͡siaʔ⁴/
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡siaʔ³²/
** (Hokkien: Philippines)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chah
*** Tâi-lô: tsah
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zaq
*** IPA (Philippines): /t͡saʔ⁵/

#### Definitions

才 (Min)
* only; merely
* just; just now; a moment ago
       Ciáh káng lā̤ diêng-īng. / [t͡siɑʔ²⁴ kʰɑŋ²¹³ l̃ɛ³³ tieŋ²⁴²⁻⁵³ $^{(Ø-)}$ŋiŋ³³] [Bàng-uâ-cê / IPA]
       [I] just watched a movie.
* only then; only after
* Used to emphasize that something is/is not.

#### Synonyms

* (just now):
* 今仔 (Hokkien)
* 剛剛 / 刚刚 (gānggāng)
* 剛才 / 刚才 (gāngcái)
* 方才 (fāngcái)
* 暫 / 暂 (zàn) (literary)
* 站仔 (Hokkien)
* 適才 / 适才 (shìcái)
* (only then):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 才$_2$, 再, 方, 始, 方才 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 才$_2$ |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 才$_2$ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 先, 至, 先至 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 先, 至, 先至 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 正 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 正 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 正 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 再, 才$_2$ |
| Wu | Suzhou | 再 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 才至 |

#### 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

* “才”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

### Etymology 4

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

### Etymology 5

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

### Etymology 6

* For pronunciation and definitions of 才 – see 在 (“to exist; to be alive; to be at; to be in; to be located; etc.”). (This character is an ancient form of 在).

### References

* “才”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

## 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, 才)、かど (kado, 才)

#### Compounds

* 才(さい)覚(かく) (saikaku)
* 才(さい)気(き) (saiki)
* 才(さい)能(のう) (sainō)
* 漫(まん)才(ざい) (manzai): a style of double act stand-up comedy
* 天才(てんさい) (tensai): genius

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 才
* さい Grade: 2
* kan'on

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) さい [sáꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [sa̠i]

#### Noun

才(さい) • (sai)
* ability, talent, aptitude
* alternative form of the volumetric unit 抄(しょう) (shō)

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 才
* さい Grade: 2
* kan'on
For pronunciation and definitions of 才 – see the following entry. :
| 【歳さい】S | [suffix] [from early 800s] -year-old Alternative spelling サイ |
(This term, 才, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

## Korean
### Hanja

才 (eumhun 재주 재 (jaeju jae))
* hanja form of 재 (“talent”)

## Vietnamese

* chữ Hán Nôm in this term
* 才

### Han character

才: Hán Nôm readings: tài
* ability; talent
** 1820, Nguyễn Du (阮攸), Truyện Kiều (傳翹) [The Tale of Kieu], Liễu Văn Ðường edition, published 1866, line 2:𡦂(chữ)才(tài)𡦂(chữ)命(mệnh)窖(khéo)⿱罒𪜀(là)恄(ghét)饒(nhau)Talent and fate are always apt to strife.

#### References

* ↑ Nguyễn (2014).
* ↑ Trần (2004).
* ↑ Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* ↑ Bonet (1899).
* ↑ Génibrel (1898).
* ↑ Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).