| 才 | cái | a moment ago; just now; (preceded by a clause of condition or reason) not until; (followed by a numerical clause) only; ability; talent; sb of a certain type; a capable individual; only; only then |
| 刚才 | gāng cái | (just) a moment ago; just now; a moment ago |
| 人才 | rén cái | a person's talent; talented person; distinguished person; a talent (worth head-hunting); person's looks; an attractive woman; used interchangeably with 人材; CL:个 |
| 天才 | tiān cái | talent; gift; genius; talented; gifted |
| 方才 | fāng cái | just now; then |
| 秀才 | xiù cai | a person who has passed the county level imperial exam (historical); scholar; skillful writer; fine talent |
| 才干 | cái gàn | ability; competence |
| 才子 | cái zǐ | gifted scholar |
| 才智 | cái zhì | ability and wisdom |
| 才华 | cái huá | literary or artistic talent; CL:份 |
| 才能 | cái néng | talent; ability; capacity |
| 不才 | bù cái | untalented; I; me (humble) |
| 不打不成才 | bù dǎ bù chéng cái | spare the rod and spoil the child (idiom) |
| 人才外流 | rén cái wài liú | brain drain |
| 人才流失 | rén cái liú shī | brain drain; outflow of talent |
| 人才济济 | rén cái jǐ jǐ | talented people are extremely useful (idiom) |
| 人尽其才 | rén jìn qí cái | employ one's talent to the fullest; everyone gives of their best |
| 佳人才子 | jiā rén cái zǐ | beautiful lady, gifted scholar (idiom); pair of ideal lovers; cf With his brains and her looks... |
| 偏才 | piān cái | talent in a particular area |
| 全才 | quán cái | all-rounder; versatile |
| 初露才华 | chū lù cái huá | first sign of budding talent; to display one's ability for the first time |
| 博学多才 | bó xué duō cái | erudite and multi-talented (idiom); versatile and able |
| 却才 | què cái | just now |
| 口才 | kǒu cái | eloquence |
| 多才 | duō cái | multi-talented; many-sided skills |
| 多才多艺 | duō cái duō yì | multi-talented |
| 大才小用 | dà cái xiǎo yòng | lit. making little use of great talent; to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut |
| 天妒英才 | tiān dù yīng cái | heaven is jealous of heroic genius (idiom); the great have great hardship to contend with; those whom the Gods love die young |
| 天才出自勤奋 | tiān cái chū zì qín fèn | genius comes from hard effort; Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration (Thomas Edison) |
| 奇才 | qí cái | genius |
| 将才 | jiàng cái | talented field commander (military) |
| 专业人才 | zhuān yè rén cái | expert (in a field) |
| 屈才 | qū cái | to waste talent |
| 干才 | gàn cái | ability; capable |
| 庸才 | yōng cái | mediocrity |
| 德才 | dé cái | ethics and ability; virtuous and talented |
| 德才兼备 | dé cái jiān bèi | having both integrity and talent (idiom) |
| 恃才傲物 | shì cái ào wù | to be inordinately proud of one's ability; to be conceited and contemptuous (idiom) |
患难之交才是真正
的朋友 | huàn nàn zhī jiāo cái shì zhēn zhèng de péng you | a friend in need is a friend indeed (English proverb); cf idiom 患难之交, a friend in need |
| 怀才不遇 | huái cái bù yù | to cherish one's unrecognized talents (idiom); to have talent but no opportunity; not living up to one's abilities; under-achieving |
| 才不 | cái bù | as if; yeah right; whatever |
| 才兼文武 | cái jiān wén wǔ | talent in both military and civil field (idiom) |
| 才外流 | cái wài liú | brain drain |
| 才女 | cái nǚ | talented girl |
| 才子佳人 | cái zǐ jiā rén | gifted scholar, beautiful lady (idiom); pair of ideal lovers; cf With his brains and her looks... |
| 才学 | cái xué | talent and learning; scholarship |
| 才思 | cái sī | imaginative power; creativeness |
| 才怪 | cái guài | it'd be a wonder if... (following a verb phrase that is usually negative) |
| 才气 | cái qì | talent (usually literary or artistic) |
| 才气过人 | cái qì guò rén | an outstanding talent (idiom); surpassing insight and acumen |
