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只字 (zhī zì) — a single word (or character) in writing

Definition

只字 is a literary noun meaning 'a single word or character', almost always used in fixed phrases like 只字不提 (not mention a single word) or 只字片语 (a few scattered words). It's written/formal — in everyday speech just say a word or character directly.

noun
a single word (or character) in writing

Examples

  • 。
    Tā duì zhè shì zhī zì bù tí.
    He didn't mention a single word about this matter.
  • 。
    Zhè fēng xìn lǐ zhǐ yǒu zhī zì piàn yǔ.
    This letter only contains a few scattered words.
  • ，。
    Wǒ zhǎo le bàn tiān, zhī zhǎo dào yì háng zhī zì.
    I searched for a long time and only found a line of single characters.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

只zhīsingle
字zìcharacter

“只” indicates a single item and “字” is a written character, so together they mean one character.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

只 shows air coming out of a mouth, for a word used in speech.

Open 只 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
子
子zǐ字zì
Same sound today

字 pairs 宀 (roof) with 子 (child); 子 gives the sound, while 宀 relates to the meaning.

Open 字 →
Appears in
Reading & Writing

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