HSK 3 · Function Words

只有 zhǐyǒu “only” in Chinese

Said as zhíyǒu

Same in Traditional

What 只有 means

  1. only
  2. only have …
  3. there is only …
  4. (used in combination with 才) it is only if … (that one can …) (as in 只有通过治疗才能痊愈 “the only way to cure it is with therapy”)
  5. it is only (someone) who … (as in 只有男性才有此需要 “only men would have such a requirement”)
More meanings from CC-CEDICT
  • (used to express lack of alternatives) can only
  • have no choice but to (as in 只有屈服 “the only thing you can do is give in”)

How to say 只有

  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale只zhǐ3rd tone, dipping
  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale有yǒu3rd tone, dipping

Said as zhíyǒu. When two third tones meet, the first one rises into a second tone. You still write it with two third tones. How tone changes work

只有 in a sentence

  1. 桌子上只有一本书。

    Zhuōzi shàng zhǐ yǒu yì běn shū.

    There’s only one book on the table.

    Sentence #5863312 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  2. 我们只有一次机会。

    Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu yí cì jīhuì.

    We have only one chance.

    Sentence #8511511 from Tatoeba

  3. 只有你懂我。

    Zhǐyǒu nǐ dǒng wǒ.

    You’re the only one who understands me.

    Sentence #5706109 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

How 只有 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 只 (zhī) with each of its parts in a different colour
只zhǐonly; merely; just
  • 口mouth · kǒu
  • 八eight · bā

Memory aidA mouth 口 above two strokes 八. It is the simplified form of both 隻 (one bird) and 衹 (only).

The character 有 (yǒu) drawn as one shape
有yǒuto have; there is

有 is a single shape of 6 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.

Memory aidA hand holding a piece of meat 月: to have.

How to write 只有

只 5 strokes · 有 6 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

只有 (zhǐyǒu) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 只有 (zhǐyǒu). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 只有

Words with 只

只zhī · measure word for animals (a cat只能zhǐnéng · can only只是zhǐshì · only只好zhǐhǎo · to have no other option but to …只要zhǐyào · if only

Words with 有

有yǒu · to have没有méiyǒu · not to have有的yǒude · (there are) some (who are…)有些yǒuxiē · some有点儿yǒudiǎnr · slightly有时yǒushí · sometimes有意思yǒuyìsi · interesting有名yǒumíng · famous有人yǒurén · someone有关yǒuguān · to be related to

More words: Particles & Connectors

向xiàng · direction像xiàng · be like一边yìbiān · one side又yòu · once again才cái · ability只zhǐ · only地de · particle used after a description按时ànshí · on time

FAQs

只有 (zhǐyǒu) means “only” or “only have …”. It is an HSK 3 word.
Say it zhǐyǒu: zhǐ with a 3rd tone, then yǒu with a 3rd tone. In speech it sounds like zhíyǒu. When two third tones meet, the first one rises into a second tone. You still write it with two third tones. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 只有 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type zhiyou with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 只有 from the suggestions. Typing zhiyou into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
只有 is an HSK 3 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.