ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/11.mw.html

<p>There are a number of different ways to express &quot;<a href="only" class="uri" title="wikilink">only</a>&quot; in Chinese, but 只 (zhǐ) is the most basic one you need to learn first. It's an <a href="adverb" class="uri" title="wikilink">adverb</a>, so it normally comes before <a href="verb" title="wikilink">verbs</a>.</p>
<h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>
<p>The adverb 只 (zhǐ) can come directly before a <a href="verb" class="uri" title="wikilink">verb</a>, or before an <a href="auxiliary_verb" title="wikilink">auxiliary verb</a> like <a href="会" class="uri" title="wikilink">会</a> (huì) or <a href="能" class="uri" title="wikilink">能</a> (néng).</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>只 + Verb</p>
</div>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>只 + 会 / 能 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="&quot;Just&quot;_with_&quot;jiu&quot;" title="wikilink">&quot;Just&quot; with &quot;jiu&quot;</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)</a> (p. 87) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276385">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide" title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide</a> (p. 251) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0415700108">→buy</a></li>
</ul>






<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a> <a href="Category:_Adverbs" title="wikilink">Category: Adverbs</a></p>