而已 (ér yǐ) — (particle) nothing more, that's all; used at the end of a sentence to indicate minimal extent or significance
Definition
而已 is a sentence-final particle meaning 'that's all / nothing more,' used to downplay what was just said. It is more formal and written than the colloquial 罢了, which has the same downplaying sense but is more casual.
particle
nothing morethat's allused at the end of a sentence to indicate minimal extent or significance
Easily confused
Examples
- 而已。Wǒ zhǐ shì xiǎng zhī dào nǐ de xiǎng fǎ ér yǐ.I just want to know your thoughts, that's all.
- 而已，。Tā bú guò shì gè xué shēng ér yǐ, bú yòng tài yán lì.He's just a student, no need to be too strict.
- ，而已。Bié dān xīn, wǒ zhǐ shì kāi gè wán xiào ér yǐ.Don't worry, I'm just joking, that's all.
Grammar
Appears in
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