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

Structure
---------

The adverb 只 (zhǐ) can come directly before a [verb](verb "wikilink"),
or before an [auxiliary verb](auxiliary_verb "wikilink") like
[会](会 "wikilink") (huì) or [能](能 "wikilink") (néng).

<div class="jiegou">
只 + Verb

</div>
<div class="jiegou">
只 + 会 / 能 + Verb

</div>
Examples
--------

<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>
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>
-   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>
See Also
--------

-   ["Just" with "jiu"]("Just"_with_"jiu" "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (p.
    87)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical
    Guide](Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide "wikilink") (p.
    251)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")
[Category: Adverbs](Category:_Adverbs "wikilink")