只 (zhǐ) — only, just, merely
Definition
只 (zhǐ) means 'only' and scopes the word right after it (e.g. 我只喜欢喝茶 = I only like drinking tea). 仅 and 仅仅 are more formal/literary synonyms; 只是 softens the statement and often means 'but / it's just that'.
adverb
onlyjustmerely
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)
- 指zhǐsound-aliketo point at, to indicate, to show
- 其qílook-alike(possessive pronoun: his, her, its, their (used before a noun)
- 纸zhǐsound-alikepaper
- 止zhǐsound-aliketo stop, to cease, to halt
Examples
- 只。Wǒ zhǐ xǐ huan hē chá.I only like to drink tea.
- 只，。Tā zhǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ, bú huì shuō zhōng wén.He can only speak English, not Chinese.
- 。Zhè lǐ zhǐ yǒu yí gè shāng diàn.There is only one shop here.
Grammar
Appears in
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