刚 vs 刚才: what is the difference?
刚 is an adverb that goes before the verb, as in 我刚到. 刚才 is a time word that can start a sentence, as in 刚才谁给你打电话？
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 刚 | gāng | Says an action has just happened. | Subject + 刚 + verb |
| 刚才 | gāng cái | Means 'just now', and as a time word it can start a sentence or follow the subject. | 刚才 + clause / Subject + 刚才 + Verb |
刚 (gāng)
Says an action has just happened.
Structure: Subject + 刚 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我刚到家，你就打电话来了。 | Wǒ gāng dào jiā, nǐ jiù dǎ diàn huà lái le. | I had just got home when you called. |
| 他刚学汉语，说得不太好。 | Tā gāng xué hàn yǔ, shuō de bú tài hǎo. | He has just started Chinese and does not speak well yet. |
| 我刚吃完饭，还不饿。 | Wǒ gāng chī wán fàn, hái bú è. | I just finished eating and am not hungry yet. |
Not: 我刚昨天到家。 刚 means 'just now', so it does not take a past time word.
刚才 (gāng cái)
Means 'just now', and as a time word it can start a sentence or follow the subject.
Structure: 刚才 + clause / Subject + 刚才 + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 刚才有人找你。 | Gāng cái yǒu rén zhǎo nǐ. | Someone was looking for you just now. |
| 我刚才在洗手间。 | Wǒ gāng cái zài xǐ shǒu jiān. | I was in the toilet just now. |
| 刚才你说什么？ | Gāng cái nǐ shuō shén me? | What did you say just now? |
Not: 我刚才到北京两天。 刚才 only means a few minutes ago. For something recent that is counted in days or longer, use 刚: 我刚到北京两天。
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Time Adverbs: 刚、还、忽然、一直、已经 (HSK 2) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 次 vs 遍 · 更 vs 还 · 还 vs 已经 · 看见 vs 看到 · 可以 vs 能 · 吗 vs 吧 · 吗 vs 是不是 · 如果 vs 只要 · 上去 vs 上来 · 往 vs 向 · 有点儿 vs 一点儿 · 又 vs 再 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 刚 and 刚才?
刚 is an adverb that goes before the verb, as in 我刚到. 刚才 is a time word that can start a sentence, as in 刚才谁给你打电话？
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