How to use 只
只 + Verb
只 marks a restriction on what is true or available in a sentence. It normally comes before the verb, including before a modal such as 会 or 能. With 有, it can limit what somebody has; with an action verb, it can limit what they do or want to do.
The precise focus comes from the surrounding phrase and conversation. A restriction might concern an amount, a kind of object, or the range of actions possible. English may move “only” around to clarify that focus, while Mandarin commonly keeps 只 before the predicate. Do not place it automatically beside the English equivalent word; check what alternatives the speaker is excluding.
Examples with pinyin and English
我只有一个哥哥。
I only have one older brother.
我们只有十块钱。
We only have ten RMB.
我们公司只有两个员工。
Our company only has two employees.
你只爱吃肉吗？
Do you only like eating meat?
What to remember
- Put 只 before the verb or modal.
- 只有 often limits a possession or amount.
- Context determines the excluded alternatives.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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