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只管 (zhǐ guǎn) — just go ahead and (do something); feel free to; don't hesitate to; solely engrossed in; only concerned with (often with a critical tone)

Definition

只管 has two uses: (1) 'feel free to / just go ahead' — similar to 尽管 but more colloquial; (2) 'only concerned with', often critical, like 只顾 but with a focus on action rather than mental preoccupation.

adverb
just go ahead and (do something)feel free todon't hesitate tosolely engrossed inonly concerned with (often with a critical tone)

Examples

  • 只管，。
    Nǐ zhǐ guǎn fàng xīn, zhè jiàn shì jiāo gěi wǒ bàn.
    Just rest assured, leave this matter to me.
  • 只管，。
    Tā zhǐ guǎn zì jǐ zhuàn qián, cóng bù kǎo lǜ bié rén.
    He's only concerned with making money for himself and never considers others.
  • 只管，。
    Nǐ zhǐ guǎn wǎng qián zǒu, bié huí tóu.
    Just keep walking forward, don't look back.

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zhīonly
管guǎncare

只管 pairs 只 (only) with 管 (care), so it urges someone to just go ahead without worry.

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
官
官guān管guǎn
Same sound today

管 has 竹 (bamboo) on top to show it relates to bamboo, and 官 gives its sound.

Open 管 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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