Taxonomy of meanings for 才:　　

  • 才 cái (OC: sɡɯɯ MC: dzəi) 昨哉切 平 廣韻：【用也質也力也文才也説文作才艸木之初也 】
    • AS SOON AS
      • padV.postN{SUBJ}:postSthe moment when; the instant when
      • padS1.adS2S1=subjectlessthe moment when V, S; instant when V, S
    • BE IN
      • vt(oN)be in the contextually determinate place > be inside, be there; be present
      • vt[0]oN.postadVN=timeduring, at (a time)
      • vt[0]oN.postadVN=placein, into
      • vt+prep+Nliterally: be in the place N
      • vt+prep+Nabstractconsist in
      • vt+prep+N1.postadN2in
      • vt0oN.adStemporalOBI 3: at (a certain time), during (a certain period)
      • vt0oNfigurativethe point is in; the abstract thing resides in
      • vtoN.adVplacein; at
      • vtoN.postadVin; at
      • vtoN在天下"be under the sky": be in the place N
      • vtoNfigurativebe in; hold (an office etc.)
      • vtoNabstractconsist in; have its main point in; be essentially concerned with;belong to; reside in
      • vtoNimperativekeep in the place N!
      • vtoNspacebe in (a certain place)
      • vtoN.adVfigurativein; at
      • vt+NN=timehappen at the time N; be cone at the time N
      • vt+prep+Nfigurativefiguratively dwell in, live in, be immersed inLZ
      • vtoNfigurativebe concerned withCH
      • vtoNfigurativeabstract: consist inCH
      • vt+prep+Nfigurativereside in; consist inCH
      • vtoNbe visibly present inCH
      • vtoNinchoativecome to find itself in; come to be in the place NCH
    • TALENT
      • nab.post-V{NUM}dispositiongift, talent 多材
      • nabdispositionimportant potential; qualifications; professional talents; relevant skills; promising faculties
      • nadNgifted, talented
      • vigradedbe talented, be worthy; be promising 才甚 very talented
      • nsubjectpersons who have important qualifications, professional skills, promising faculties
      • npost-Nabthe talent of N-ing
      • n{PRED}post-Nabhave the talent to V See FAYAN 21.1 皆諸侯卿相之才 "(Confucius' discioples) all had the talent to become feudal lords and senior ministers"
      • v[adN]the talented; the more talented
      • nab(post-N)qualifications; professional talents; relevant skills; promising facultiesCH
      • nab.post-N1[adN2]dispositionmen of the talents of an NCH
      • v[adN1.]post-N2those people who have talents for the function N2CH
    • BASIC NATURE
      • nabbasic constituents of the universe (as in 三才 "Heaven, Earth and Man)CH
      • nab.post-Ninnate potentialCH
    • SURNAMES
      • = 纔
      • = 財
      • = 裁
      • = 在

      Additional information about 才

      說文解字: 【才】，艸木之初也。从丨上貫一，將生枝葉。一，地也。凡才之屬皆从才。 【徐鍇曰：上一，初生歧枝也；下一，地也。】 【昨哉切】

        Criteria
      • TALENT

        1. The standard word for an unusual promising ability to perform important future tasks of any kind is cái 才／材, and the talents referred to by this word do not need to be of a "higher" kind.

        2. Xián 賢 (ant. bù xiào 不肖 "untalented") often refers to realised talents, and typically includes the nuance of moral worthiness in addition to practical and intellectual talents, and prototypically these talents include moral ones and are excercised in the service of a ruler. (Note the combination 忠賢 "loyal and worthy")

        3. Dé 德 "political charisma; moral integrity" refers especially to the higher talents of the sage or the sage ruler and may perhaps be usefully compared in this synonym group. See VIRTUE.

      • YEAR

        1. The most current general word for the year is the basically agricultural nián 年. This word can refer to the years of age as well as to the time-span of a year as such. After a number word nián 年 always refers to a number of years as such and not to a person's age.

        2. Suì 歲, named after the star Juppiter, can refer to years in general, but after a number word suì 歲 typically refers to years of age and not to number of years as such. (Cf. 年十三歲 )This term is astronomical in origin and defines the year primarily in terms of the revolutions of the planets.

        3. Zǎi 載, probably named after the recurrent period of growth (cái 才 ) refers quite generally to the length of a year as such, and never to years of age.

        4. Sì 祀 is an archaic periphrastic way of referring to the year as defined by the annual sacrifices.

        5. Qiū 秋, more rarely and later also chūn 春 are occasionally used in elevated stylistic contexts to refer to a year.

        6. Chūn qiū 春秋 refers specifically to years of age.

        Word relations
      • Epithet: (TALENT)鴻/GREAT Hóng 鴻 refers to greatness as essentially linked to immense size.
      • Epithet: (TALENT)臣/MINISTER The general word for a government minister at any level and of any kind is chén 臣, generically rén chén 人臣.
      • Contrast: (TALENT)能/ABLE The commonest word is néng 能 "have an inherent capacity for, have the personal ability to". CURRENT, ENDOGENIC, GRADED, INHERENT, LASTING
      • Contrast: (TALENT)用/USEFUL
      • Assoc: (TALENT)美/VIRTUE Other general terms for subjectively construed general moral commendation include měi 美"point of moral distinction" (ant. è 惡 "point of moral decrepitude"), and occasionally gāo 高"elevated points, elevated spirit" (ant. jiàn 賤 "point of vulgar decrepitude"). NB that shàn 善 "excellent" is not used as a general term of positive moral appreciation in pre-Buddhist texts.
      • Assoc: (TALENT)能/ABLE The commonest word is néng 能 "have an inherent capacity for, have the personal ability to". CURRENT, ENDOGENIC, GRADED, INHERENT, LASTING
      • Assoc: (TALENT)智 / 知/INTELLIGENT The most general word for native ability to understand is zhī 知 (ant. wú zhī 無知 "lack the ability to understand"), but the word ranges in meaning from spiritual wisdom to technical competence.