TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
才
ㄘㄞˊ · cái
noun/adv — talent, ability; just now, only then
字源 FORM — what the parts do
才形a sprout pushing up through the ground, about to branch
A single shoot breaking the soil — the stroke goes up through the ground-line (一), about to put out its first leaves. The oldest sense is exactly that: the beginning of a plant (艸木之初). Borrowed for the budding ability in a person, it became talent (天才、才能); the same just-starting feel carries the adverb only just, 剛才、才來.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一根芽（才）剛剛頂破地面，葉子還沒展開——才剛開始。
A single sprout (才) has just broken the surface, leaves not yet open — only just begun.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)草木之初— the first sprout of a plant
→天才、才能— talent, ability常用
⇒剛才、才來— just now; only then常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension