只有 … ，才 … (only if)

The one and only way

• only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu names the single condition that works — nothing else will do.
• only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu … ，only then / not until才cái … = "only if …, …".
• only have ...只有zhǐ yǒuto make an effort努力nǔ lì，talent才能cái néngsuccess成功chéng gōng = "only if you work hard can you succeed."

only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu … ，only then / not until才cái …

• only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu = the sole condition; only then / not until才cái = then (and only then).

only if只有zhǐ yǒuwork hard努力nǔ lì，only then才cáican能néngsucceed成功chéng gōng。

• only have ...只有zhǐ yǒuto make an effort努力nǔ lì，talent才能cái néngsuccess成功chéng gōng = "only if you work hard can you succeed."

only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu vs if only只要zhǐ yào

• only have ...只有zhǐ yǒu…only then / not until才cái… = the only way (necessary); if only只要zhǐ yào…then / just就jiù… = enough on its own (sufficient).

Recap

Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Conditional statements.