The character 只 — “measure word for animals”: how to write it and what it means
measure word for animals
The Chinese character 只 is read zhī and means “measure word for animals”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 只
只 has 5 strokes. At each step the new stroke is highlighted — write them in the same order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical, a frame before what is inside it, and the bottom stroke of the frame last.
To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for 只, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
Words with 只
- 只能can only; have no choice butHSK 3
- 只是merely; onlyHSK 3
- 只要as long asHSK 3
- 只有only if; onlyHSK 3
- 只好have no choice but toHSK 4
- 只得have no choice butHSK 6
- 只顾only care about…HSK 6
- 船只vessels, shipsHSK 6
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 只?
只 has 5 strokes. They follow the usual rules: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside. The order of each stroke is shown on this page.
What does 只 mean?
只 means “measure word for animals”. It appears in 只能 (“can only”), 只是 (“merely”), 只要 (“as long as”), 只有 (“only if”).
How do you pronounce 只?
只 is read zhī. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 只 have?
5 strokes.
More characters on the page “Chinese characters with meanings” and in the list of HSK characters by level; whole words are in the dictionary.
Write 只 yourself
In the lessons you write characters stroke by stroke with a finger or a mouse, and the course checks the order. You can start for free, no sign-up needed.
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