只有 — only if
only if; only
How to pronounce it
只有 is read zhǐ yǒu: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
Two third tones in a row: the first one is said as a second tone, but it is still written as a third.
How to write it
A hand holding a piece of meat: “I have”.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “只有”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 只有. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 我只有一张信用卡。wǒzhǐyǒuyìzhāngxìnyòngkǎI only have one credit card.
- 只有医生同意，你才能出院。zhǐyǒuyīshēngtóngyì,nǐcáinéngchūyuànYou can leave the hospital only if the doctor agrees.
- 只有多练习才能说好zhǐyǒuduōliànxí,cáinéngshuōhǎoYou'll only speak well if you practice a lot.
- 我家距离公司只有两公里。wǒjiājùlígōngsīzhǐyǒuliǎnggōnglǐMy home is only two kilometers from the office.
- 只有少数人反对zhǐyǒushǎoshùrénfǎnduìOnly a minority is against it.
- 这种面包的保质期只有三天。zhèzhǒngmiànbāodebǎozhìqīzhǐyǒusāntiānThis bread has a shelf life of only three days.
More words from the lesson “At the hospital”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
What does 只有 mean?
只有 (zhǐyǒu) means “only if; only”.
How do you write 只有?
只有 is 2 characters: 只 (zhī) — measure word for animals; 有 (yǒu) — have, there is. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 只有?
只有 is read zhǐyǒu. Tones: zhǐ — third tone, yǒu — third tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“only if” in the lesson “At the hospital”
This word is from the topic “Health and wrap-up” of HSK 3. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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