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才知道真相
cái zhī dào zhēn xiàng
only then found out the truth
他一直隐瞒事实，直到最后一刻我才知道真相。
He had been hiding the truth the whole time; only then did I find out the truth.
informal
Expresses realization or discovery of the truth after a delay or unexpected event.
经过多年调查，我们才知道真相。
After years of investigation, we only then discovered the truth.
直到看了新闻报道，我才知道真相。
It was only after reading the news report that I found out the truth.
Often used to emphasize the belated nature of realizing something important. The '才' (cái) adds a sense of 'only after a long time' or 'just now.'
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Emphasizing Delay
Use '才知道' to emphasize that the realization happened later than expected. For example, '直到考试前一天，我才知道我没准备好' (It was only the day before the exam that I realized I wasn’t prepared).
Gold Rule
Structure and Tone
The phrase often follows a clause describing the situation that led to the delayed realization. The tone can range from neutral to emotional (e.g., surprise, anger, or relief) depending on context.
Word Origin
The phrase combines '才' (cái, 'only then'), '知道' (zhīdào, 'to know'), and '真相' (zhēnxiàng, 'the truth'). '真相' consists of '真' (zhēn, 'true') and '相' (xiàng, 'appearance/phase'), emphasizing the factual reality behind appearances.
Usage Notes
'才知道真相' is commonly used in spoken and written Chinese to highlight a delayed or sudden realization of the truth. It often implies that the truth was hidden or not immediately apparent. The phrase can carry a tone of surprise, frustration, or revelation depending on context.
Word Breakdown
才
only then / just now
adverb知道
to know
verb真相
the truth
noun phrase汉英词典