Word
维修人员 直到 检查 了 阀门， 才 更换 损坏 的 零件。wéixiūrényuán zhídào jiǎnchá le fámén, cái gēnghuàn sǔnhuài de língjiàn.
Meaning
The maintenance worker did not replace the damaged part until inspecting the valve.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of wéixiūrényuán zhídào jiǎnchá le fámén, cái gēnghuàn sǔnhuài de língjiàn.
了le
perfective particle
Used after a verb. Marks that an action is completed.
的de
structural particle
才cái
only then
Questions & Answers about wéixiūrényuán zhídào jiǎnchá le fámén, cái gēnghuàn sǔnhuài de língjiàn.
What does the pattern 直到...才... mean in this sentence?
It means not until... did... or only after... did....
In this sentence, 直到检查了阀门，才更换损坏的零件 shows that the maintenance personnel waited until the valve had been inspected before replacing the damaged part(s).
So it is stronger than a simple sequence like after inspecting the valve, they replaced the parts. It emphasizes that the replacement did not happen earlier.
Why is 才 used here?
才 adds the idea of only then or not until then.
Without 才, the sentence would lose some of its emphasis. Compare:
检查了阀门后，更换了损坏的零件。
This mainly says one thing happened after another.直到检查了阀门，才更换损坏的零件。
This stresses that the replacement happened only after the inspection.
So 才 is an important part of the delayed-action meaning.
Why is there a 了 after 检查?