DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT
只有
Mandarin · pinyin zhǐ yǒu
Meanings
- only have ...; there is only ...
- (used in combination with 才 cái) it is only if ... (that one can ...) (as in 只有通過治療才能痊愈 zhǐ yǒu tōng guò zhì liáo cái néng quán yù "the only way to cure it is with therapy")
- it is only (someone) who ... (as in 只有男性才有此需要 zhǐ yǒu nán xìng cái yǒu cǐ xū yào "only men would have such a requirement")
- (used to express lack of alternatives) can only; have no choice but to (as in 只有屈服 zhǐ yǒu qū fú "the only thing you can do is give in")
Characters in this entry
Explore the spelling
Mandarin tones
3–3 · zhi3 you3
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
Connected dictionary
2character links2source references
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.Read this spelling in Classical texts
Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.
Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
zi2 jau5
Cantonese word readings for 只有. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack
Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section
Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.
conj
- only; merely; just
- (regional) only a short while ago; just
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack