仅仅

jǐnjǐn

Traditional: 仅仅

#1952 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

only, merely, barely

Word origin

A reduplicated adverb built from 仅 (jǐn, only), itself a phono-semantic compound with the 亻(person) radical and 堇 as phonetic, the doubling intensifying the sense of restriction.

Origin
phono-semantic
Root
仅 (jǐn, only) doubled, from 亻(person) + 堇 (phonetic)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 仅

Stroke order for 仅

Examples

This is merely a beginning.

He finished it in only ten minutes.

We have known each other for only three days.

This matter is nothing but a misunderstanding.

zhǎng

The price rose only a little bit.

仅仅 (jǐn jǐn) means only or merely. The reduplication of 仅 emphasises that the amount, degree, or extent is no more than what is stated.

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This word is part of lesson 40.