Usage of 刚才
刚才 (gāngcái) is a time adverb meaning "just now," referring to a moment very recently past. It is commonly used to talk about events that happened a short time ago, often within minutes or seconds.
Common Contexts
It frequently appears in everyday conversation to recall or confirm recent actions or events, such as seeing someone, hearing something, or weather changes. It can also be used to ask for repetition or clarification about something just said.
Collocations and Patterns
- 刚才 + verb: to indicate an action that happened just now (e.g., 刚才说, 刚才看到)
- 刚才的 + noun: to specify something that occurred just now (e.g., 刚才的电话)
- 刚才 + 才 + verb: emphasizes the recent timing combined with 才 to express "only just" or "just recently" (e.g., 刚才才来)
Nuances
Using 刚才 implies the speaker is focusing on a very recent past moment, often to contrast with the present or to highlight immediacy. It is more precise than general past time words like 以前 or 之前.
Common Confusion
Don't confuse 刚才 with 刚 (gāng) alone, which can mean "just" but is less specific about the exact recent moment. 刚才 always points to a very short time ago, often within the same conversation or event context.