(zhī) - (measure word for animals, and for one of a pair) in Mandarin
zhīTraditional: 隻
Translation
(measure word for animals, and for one of a pair)
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Word origin
只 is 口 (mouth) with two short strokes beneath it, read in the Shuowen as breath falling away, and the graph was borrowed early on for the adverb 'only'. Simplified Chinese then merged in 隻, the older measure word showing a hand 又 holding a single bird 隹, which is why one character now carries both jobs.
- Origin
- ideograph
- Root
- 口 (mouth) over two marks; the measure word absorbs 隻 (a hand holding one bird)
Stroke order
只
Examples
。
This cat is very cute.
。
We have two dogs at home.
。
That bird is very small.
。
I can't find the other shoe.
。
She bought a chicken.
只 (zhī) is the measure word for most animals and for one half of a pair. It sits between the number, or 这 / 那, and the noun: 两只狗 (two dogs), 一只手 (one hand), 这只猫 (this cat).
The same character read zhǐ is a different word, the adverb 只 "only", which goes in front of the verb: 我只想休息一下 (I only want a short rest). Word order usually tells the two apart on the page: after a number or 这 / 那 and before a noun it is the measure word, in front of a verb it is "only" (so 这只是 is "this is only", not "this one is"). In speech the tone does the work.
Where this fits
Appears in 6 words
Multi-character compounds in the corpus that contain 只.
Used in
Grammar articles
(13)不是…而是, 不是…就是 and 既然…就 in Mandarin
Mandarin Grammar Cheatsheet: The Essentials, One Page
Mandarin Measure Words (Classifiers): The Core 12 and 个
Although in Mandarin: 虽然…还是, 不过 and 还是
大家 (Everyone) and Reflexive 自己 (Oneself) in Mandarin
The Mandarin Particle 着 (zhe): States That Continue
Even Though and Even If in Mandarin: 虽然, 即使, 就算
There Is in Mandarin: 有, 来了一个人, 出现 and 发生
Formal Mandarin Connectives: 然而, 因此, 于是 and 尽管
就 (jiù) vs 才 (cái) in Mandarin: Early vs Late
Mandarin Possession with 有 (yǒu): To Have
Unless and In Case in Mandarin: 除非, 万一 and 要不是
只要…就 vs 只有…才 in Mandarin: As Long As, Only If
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Mandarin · Free printables
只: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "只" ((measure word for animals, and for one of a pair)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
This word is taught in chapter 4, lesson 7: 只, 更, 最 and 8 more words.