2 · Adverbs that carry the grammar
Only: zhǐ and jiù
limiting adverbs
Zhǐ limits what follows it and stands before the verb; to put “only” in front of a person, say zhǐyǒu.
只 means “only, just”. Like every adverb it stands after the subject and before the verb, and it limits what comes after it: 我只喝水, “I only drink water”. Very often the verb is 有, and 只有 is then written and said as one word: 我只有十块钱, “I’ve only got ten yuan”.
English can put “only” in front of a noun: “only he knows”. 只 cannot do that, because it is an adverb, not an adjective. To limit a person or thing at the front of the sentence, Chinese uses 只有, “there is only”: 只有他知道, literally “there is only him who knows”.
In speech 就 also means “only”, with a slightly more casual and emphatic ring: 我就有十块钱. Unlike 只, this 就 can stand directly before a person with a number: 就他一个人没来, “he was the only one who didn’t come”.
Which part of the sentence 只 limits is decided by what follows and, in speech, by stress. 我只去过上海 is naturally “Shanghai is the only place I’ve been”; to say “I am the only one who has been to Shanghai”, the “only” has to move to the front as 只有我.
The form
| only + verb | 我只喝水。 |
| only have | 我只有十块钱。 |
| only (spoken) | 我就有十块钱。 |
| only this person | 只有他知道。 |
| the only one (spoken) | 就他一个人没来。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
只 stands before the verb, not before a noun.
他只会说一点儿中文。He can only speak a little Chinese.
To limit a person or thing at the front, use 只有.
只有小王会修电脑。Only Xiao Wang knows how to fix computers.
In speech, 就 also means “only”, often with a number.
我就要一个。I only want one.
只 limits what follows it; the rest of the sentence is not affected.
我只去过上海。Shanghai is the only place I have been to.
A closer look
Just: zhǐshì and zhǐ … éryǐ
只是 means “merely, it’s only that”. As an adverb it plays a thing down: 我只是随便问问, “I’m only asking”. At the start of a clause it turns into a gentle “but”: something is fine, it’s just that one thing is wrong with it.
In the more written style a sentence with 只 or 只是 can close with 而已, “and that is all”: 我只是开个玩笑而已, “I was only joking, that’s all”. The two ends of the sentence frame what is being played down.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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只 is a measure word for animals and for one of a pair
it is read zhī, in the first tone, and has nothing to do with “only”.
我家只有一只猫。We only have one cat.
The simplified character 只 merged two older characters, one for “only” and one for “single”. The sound kept them apart.
How to spot it
- 只
- 只有
- 就
- 只是
Example sentences
我只喝绿茶，不喝红茶。I only drink green tea, not black tea.
冰箱里只有两个鸡蛋。There are only two eggs in the fridge.
今天就我一个人在家。I’m the only one at home today.
我只想休息一下。I just want to rest for a bit.
这件事只有你能帮我。Only you can help me with this.
他一天只睡五个小时。He sleeps only five hours a day.
7 more example sentences
我只是问问，不买。I’m only asking — I’m not buying.
这儿周末只开半天。This place is only open half the day at weekends.
别买太多，我们就三个人。Don’t buy too much — there are only three of us.
她只吃了一口。She only had one bite.
我的钱只够买一张票。My money is only enough for one ticket.
全班就他一个人没来。He was the only one in the whole class who didn’t come.
我只知道他姓李。All I know is that his surname is Li.
Worth knowing (1)
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Zhǐshì as a soft “but”
At the head of the second clause 只是 works like a mild “only, the thing is”. It admits that most of what was said is true and adds one reservation — gentler than 但是, which sets up a real contrast.
这件衣服很好看，只是有点儿贵。This jacket looks nice; it’s just a bit expensive.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English puts “only” straight in front of the person it limits. 只 is an adverb and must lean on a verb, so it does not go in front of the noun it limits. In front of a person or thing the word is 只有 — or, in casual speech, 就.
Zhǐ stands before the verb; to put “only” in front of a person, say zhǐyǒu.
Your turn
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