Kilo Lingo

(zhǐ yǒu) - only, just, the only one in Mandarin

zhǐyǒu

Traditional: 只有

Line drawing of 只有
Coloured illustration of 只有
HSK 3
#212 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

only, just, the only one

Word origin

只有 (zhǐyǒu) 'only, the only' joins 只 (zhǐ, 'only') and 有 (yǒu, 'to have'). 有 shows a hand 又 holding a piece of meat 肉/月, hence 'to have, possess'.

Origin
compound
Root
只 (zhǐ, 'only') + 有 (yǒu, hand 又 + meat 月, 'to have')

Stroke order

Stroke order for 只

Stroke order for 有

Examples

Only you can help me.

There is only me here.

There is only one way.

Only he knows the answer.

Only through practice can one improve.

只有 (zhǐ yǒu) means only, just, the only one. It is used as a adverb in everyday Mandarin speech.

Add to review queue

Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.

Go to my review queue

This word is part of lesson 5.