Chinese–EnglishWith examples

只有

zhǐ yǒu · zhi you

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 3

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. only have ...
  2. there is only ...
  3. (used in combination with 才 (cái)) it is only if one ... (that one can ...) (Example: 只有通過治療才能痊愈 / 只有通过治疗才能痊愈 (zhǐ yǒu tōng guò zhì liáo cái néng quán yù) "the only way to cure it is with therapy")
  4. it is only ... (who ...) (Example: 只有男性才有此需要 (zhǐ yǒu nán xìng cái yǒu cǐ xū yào) "only men would have such a requirement")
  5. (used to indicate that one has no alternative) one can only (do a certain thing) (Example: 只有屈服 (zhǐ yǒu qū fú) "the only thing you can do is give in")
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In a conversation

0:24 cartoon

One book, two people

  1. Dengdeng

    亮亮(liàngliàng)，你(nǐ)有(yǒu)钱(qián)吗(ma)？我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)买(mǎi)书(shū)。

    Liangliang, do you have money? I want to buy a book.

  2. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)只有(zhǐyǒu)十(shí)块(kuài)钱(qián)。

    I only have ten yuan.

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)也(yě)只有(zhǐyǒu)十(shí)块(kuài)，书(shū)要(yào)二十(èrshí)。

    I only have ten too. The book costs twenty.

  4. Liangliang

    只有(zhǐyǒu)一个(yīgè)办法(bànfǎ)，我们(wǒmen)一起(yīqǐ)买(mǎi)。

    There is only one way: buy it together.

  5. Dengdeng

    好(hǎo)办法(bànfǎ)！只有(zhǐyǒu)这样(zhèyàng)，我们(wǒmen)才(cái)能(néng)买到(mǎidào)。

    Good idea! Only this way can we buy it.

  6. Liangliang

    可是(kěshì)只有(zhǐyǒu)一(yī)本(běn)书(shū)，谁(shéi)先(xiān)看(kàn)？

    But there is only one book. Who reads first?

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

只(zhǐ)有(yǒu)通(tōng)过(guò)治(zhì)疗(liáo)才(cái)能(néng)痊(quán)愈(yù)。

The only way to recover is through treatment.

02

只(zhǐ)有(yǒu)少(shǎo)数(shù)的(de)人(rén)才(cái)懂(dǒng)了(le)我(wǒ)的(de)意(yì)思(si)。

Only a few people understood me.

Tatoeba: Chinese by shanghainese · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
只
zhǐ

only; merely; just

有
yǒu

to have; there is; (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意 (yǒuyì) intentional)

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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