只 (only) · 只 (solo)
State the limit of a family's size
- You have one older brother and no other older brothers.
- 我只有一个哥哥。 — 只 limits the number of older brothers to one.
State the limit of a family's size
- You have one older brother and no other older brothers.
- I / me我only have ...只有一个older brother哥哥。 — only只 limits the number of older brothers to one.
You have one older brother and no other older brothers. What does 我只有一个哥哥。 communicate?
只 limits the number of older brothers to one. In this frame 只 precedes 有, but its scope is supplied by the predicate and context. 只有他知道 means only he knows; do not turn the common position into a claim that 只 always limits the verb's action alone.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is 只 (only). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
I我only只have有one一个older brother哥哥。
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is only只 (only). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
I我only只have有one一个older brother哥哥。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: Complete: 我 ____ 想跟你在一起。(I only want to be with you.)
只 + Verb — 只想 = “only want.” · 只 + Verbo — 只想 = “solo quiero.”
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, 我只有一个哥哥。: 只 limits the number of older brothers to one.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, I / me我only have ...只有一个older brother哥哥。: only只 limits the number of older brothers to one.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Which word order is correct? · ¿Cuál orden de palabras es correcto?
只 sits before the verb 有: 我只有一个. · 只 va antes del verbo 有: 我只有一个.
Build: “I can only say a couple of sentences in Chinese.” · Construye: “Puedo decir solo un par de oraciones en chino.”
只 hugs the auxiliary 能: 我 + 只能 + 说 + 两句中文. · 只 acompaña al auxiliar 能: 我 + 只能 + 说 + 两句中文.
Know the boundary
- In this frame 只 precedes 有, but its scope is supplied by the predicate and context.
- 只有他知道 means only he knows; do not turn the common position into a claim that 只 always limits the verb's action alone.
Know the boundary
- In this frame only只 precedes to have / there is有, but its scope is supplied by the predicate and context.
- only have ...只有he / him他to know知道 means only he knows; do not turn the common position into a claim that only只 always limits the verb's action alone.
只 goes right before the noun (我有只一个). · 只 va justo antes del sustantivo (我有只一个).
只 attaches to the verb, not the noun: 我只有一个 ✓. · 只 se une al verbo, no al sustantivo: 我只有一个 ✓.
只有他知道 means that everyone knows, but they know only one thing.
In this frame 只 precedes 有, but its scope is supplied by the predicate and context. 只有他知道 means only he knows; do not turn the common position into a claim that 只 always limits the verb's action alone. 只 limits the number of older brothers to one.
Use the distinction
- 只 limits the number of older brothers to one.
- In this frame 只 precedes 有, but its scope is supplied by the predicate and context. 只有他知道 means only he knows; do not turn the common position into a claim that 只 always limits the verb's action alone.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adverbs.
Use the distinction
- only只 limits the number of older brothers to one.
- In this frame only只 precedes to have / there is有, but its scope is supplied by the predicate and context. only have ...只有he / him他to know知道 means only he knows; do not turn the common position into a claim that only只 always limits the verb's action alone.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adverbs.