就 vs 才 Emphasis
就 implies 'sooner/easier than expected'; 才 implies 'later/harder than expected'.
Pattern
Subject + 就/才 + Verb + (了)
Explanation
就 and 才 both connect a condition/time to a result, but with opposite subjective evaluations. 就 implies the result came sooner, more easily, or more quickly than expected. 才 implies it came later, with more difficulty, or only after a long wait.
Key difference: 就 is followed by 了 (他八点就来了 - he came as early as 8). 才 is NOT followed by 了 (他十点才来 - he didn't come until 10). This is a common test point.
Examples
他八点就来了。
Tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.
He came as early as 8 o'clock.
就 + 了: earlier than expected.
他十点才来。
Tā shí diǎn cái lái.
He didn't come until 10 o'clock.
才 without 了: later than expected.
这道题我想了半天才做出来。
Zhè dào tí wǒ xiǎng le bàntiān cái zuò chūlái.
I thought about this problem for a long time before I could solve it.
Common Mistakes
他十点才来了。
他十点才来。
才 cannot be followed by 了. Remove 了 when using 才.
他八点就来。
他八点就来了。
就 expressing 'earlier than expected' for past events needs 了.
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