Difference between revisions of "Expressing "only" with "zhi""

m (Text replacement - "elder" to "older")
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
There are a number of different ways to express "[[only]]" in Chinese, but 只 (zhǐ) is the most basic one you need to learn first! It's an [[adverb]], so it normally comes before [[verb]]s.
+
There are a number of different ways to express "[[only]]" in Chinese, but 只 (zhǐ) is the most basic one you need to learn first. It's an [[adverb]], so it normally comes before [[verb]]s.
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
The adverb 只 (zhǐ) can come directly before a [[verb]], or before an [[auxiliary verb]] like 会 (huì) or 能 (néng).
+
The adverb 只 (zhǐ) can come directly before a [[verb]], or before an [[auxiliary verb]] like [[]] (huì) or [[]] (néng).
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Line 15: Line 15:
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
只 + Aux. Verb (+ Verb)
+
只 + 会 / 能 + Verb
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
Line 23: Line 23:
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>只</em> 有 一 个 哥哥。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhǐ</em> yǒu yī gè gēge. </span><span class="trans">I only have one older brother. </span>
+
*我 <em>只</em> 有 一 个 哥哥。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhǐ</em> yǒu yī gè gēge.</span><span class="trans">I only have one older brother.</span>
* 我们 <em>只</em> 有 十块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zhǐ</em> yǒu shí kuài qián. </span><span class="trans">We only have ten RMB. </span>
+
*我们 <em>只</em> 有 十块 钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zhǐ</em> yǒu shí kuài qián.</span><span class="trans">We only have ten RMB.</span>
* 我们公司 <em>只</em> 有 两个员工。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī <em>zhǐ</em> yǒu liǎng gè yuángōng. </span><span class="trans">Our company only has two employees. </span>
+
*我们 公司 <em>只</em> 有 两个员工。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī <em>zhǐ</em> yǒu liǎng gè yuángōng.</span><span class="trans">Our company only has two employees.</span>
* 你 <em>只</em> 爱 吃 肉 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zhǐ</em> ài chī ròu ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you only like eating meat? </span>
+
*你 <em>只</em> 爱 吃 肉 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zhǐ</em> ài chī ròu ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you only like eating meat?</span>
* 他们 <em>只</em> 会 说 英文。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>zhǐ</em> huì shuō Yīngwén. </span><span class="trans">They can only speak English.</span>
+
*他们 <em>只</em> 会 说 英文。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>zhǐ</em> huì shuō Yīngwén.</span><span class="trans">They can only speak English.</span>
* 我 <em>只</em> 能 说 两 句 中文。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhǐ</em> néng shuō liǎng jù Zhōngwén. </span><span class="trans">I can only say two sentences in Chinese. </span>
+
*我 <em>只</em> 能 说 两 句 中文。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhǐ</em> néng shuō liǎng jù Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans">I can only say two sentences in Chinese.</span>
* 你们 <em>只</em> 要 咖啡 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zhǐ</em> yào kāfēi ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you only want coffee? </span>
+
*你们 <em>只</em> 要 咖啡 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zhǐ</em> yào kāfēi ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you only want coffee?</span>
* 我老婆 <em>只</em> 要 一个 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎopo <em>zhǐ</em> yào yī gè háizi. </span><span class="trans">My wife only wants one child.</span>
+
*我 老婆 <em>只</em> 要 一个 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎopo <em>zhǐ</em> yào yī gè háizi.</span><span class="trans">My wife only wants one child.</span>
* 宝宝 <em>只</em> 会 走,不 会 跑。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao <em>zhǐ</em> huì zǒu, bù huì pǎo. </span><span class="trans">The baby can only walk. He can't run.</span>
+
*宝宝 <em>只</em> 会 走,不 会 跑。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao <em>zhǐ</em> huì zǒu, bù huì pǎo.</span><span class="trans">The baby can only walk. He can't run.</span>
* 我 <em>只</em> 想 跟 你 在 一起。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhǐ</em> xiǎng gēn nǐ zài yīqǐ. </span><span class="trans">I only want to be with you. </span>
+
*我 <em>只</em> 想 跟 你 在 一起。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhǐ</em> xiǎng gēn nǐ zài yīqǐ.</span><span class="trans">I only want to be with you.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== See also ==
+
== See Also ==
  
 
*[["Just" with "jiu"]]
 
*[["Just" with "jiu"]]
Line 44: Line 44:
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (p. 87) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
+
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|87}}
* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (p. 251) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
+
{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|251}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
[[Category: Adverbs]]
 
[[Category: Adverbs]]
  

Latest revision as of 09:35, 2 April 2019

Chinese-grammar-wiki-zhi.jpg

There are a number of different ways to express "only" in Chinese, but 只 (zhǐ) is the most basic one you need to learn first. It's an adverb, so it normally comes before verbs.

Structure

The adverb 只 (zhǐ) can come directly before a verb, or before an auxiliary verb like (huì) or (néng).

只 + Verb

只 + 会 / 能 + Verb

Examples

  • 有 一 个 哥哥。zhǐ yǒu yī gè gēge.I only have one older brother.
  • 我们 有 十块 钱。Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu shí kuài qián.We only have ten RMB.
  • 我们 公司 有 两个员工。Wǒmen gōngsī zhǐ yǒu liǎng gè yuángōng.Our company only has two employees.
  • 爱 吃 肉 吗?zhǐ ài chī ròu ma?Do you only like eating meat?
  • 他们 会 说 英文。Tāmen zhǐ huì shuō Yīngwén.They can only speak English.
  • 能 说 两 句 中文。zhǐ néng shuō liǎng jù Zhōngwén.I can only say two sentences in Chinese.
  • 你们 要 咖啡 吗?Nǐmen zhǐ yào kāfēi ma? Do you only want coffee?
  • 我 老婆 要 一个 孩子。Wǒ lǎopo zhǐ yào yī gè háizi.My wife only wants one child.
  • 宝宝 会 走,不 会 跑。Bǎobao zhǐ huì zǒu, bù huì pǎo.The baby can only walk. He can't run.
  • 想 跟 你 在 一起。zhǐ xiǎng gēn nǐ zài yīqǐ.I only want to be with you.

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books