才能 cáinéng talent
talent; ability; capacity
How to remember 才能: 才 only just + 能 able to = talent.
Characters
How it is used
- Talent / ability / capacity to do things: 发挥才能 (fāhuī cáinéng) to give play to one's abilities, 有领导才能 (has leadership ability).
- Broader and more practical than 才华; covers competence across domains.
- Don't confuse with the adverbial 才能 ('only then can') in sentences like 努力才能成功.
Example sentences
- 我有很多才能。 Wǒ yǒu hěnduō cáinéng.I have many abilities.
- 我怎么才能发胖？ Wǒ zěnme cáinéng fāpàng?How do I gain weight?
- 我们怎样才能找到它？ Wǒmen zěnyàngcáinéng zhǎodào tā?How do we find it?