惟独 (wéi dú) — (adverb) only, solely; variant of 唯独

Definition

惟独 is a written adverb meaning 'only / solely', emphasizing that one thing is excepted from a larger set. It is interchangeable with 唯独; in speech 只 is more common.

adverb
onlysolelyvariant of 唯独
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，惟独。
    Dà jiā dōu tóng yì le, wéi dú tā fǎn duì.
    Everyone agreed; only he objected.
  • 惟独。
    wéi dú Zhè jiàn shì wǒ bù néng ràng bù.
    This is the one thing I cannot compromise on.
  • ，惟独。
    Tā shén me ài hào dōu méi yǒu, wéi dú xǐ huan kàn shū.
    He has no hobbies; only likes to read.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

惟wéionly
独dúalone

惟 and 独 both point to only or alone, so the pair stresses sole exclusivity.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 惟 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 獨; 独 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ獨dú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獨 pairs 犬 (dog) with 蜀, which gives the sound; the simplified 独 is a shorthand.

Open 独 →

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