Definition
只 (zhǐ) is a classifier used for one of a pair (e.g., one foot, one shoe), for animals, and for boats or certain containers. It's different from 件 (jiàn), which is for items of clothing, objects, or matters — 只 focuses on paired or living things.
classifier
used for one of a pair of animalsobjectsor body partsalso for boatscertain containers
Easily confused
- 趴pālook-aliketo lie on one's stomach or to lean forward with one's upper body resting on something (e.g., a table, bed, floor)
- 之zhīsound-alike(literary, possessive particle) equivalent to 的
- 其qílook-alike(possessive pronoun: his, her, its, their (used before a noun)
- 之zhīsound-alike(literary pronoun) him, her, it (used as object)
- 指zhǐsound-aliketo point at, to indicate, to show
- 支zhīsound-alikeclassifier for long, thin objects (pens, guns), army divisions, and songs/compositions
- 支zhīsound-aliketo prop up, to support
- 直zhísound-alike(adjective) straight; frank; fair
- 至zhìsound-alike(verb, literary) to arrive
- 值zhísound-alike(verb) to be worth
Examples
- 只。Wǒ yǎng le yì zhǐ māo.I have a cat.
- 只。Hé shàng yǒu yì zhǐ xiǎo chuán.There is a small boat on the river.
- 只。tā de yì zhǐ jiǎo shòu shāng le.One of his feet is injured.
Grammar
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