只是

Character by character

• 只zhǐ5 strokesHSK 2 traditional 戠only, just, simply
• 是shì9 strokesHSK 1indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun, this, that

Each character links to its stroke order page with a tracing and a writing exercise.

Example sentences

• 这只是马。

  Zhè zhǐ shì mǎ

  This is only a horse.

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Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR), contributed by their community.

Words with the same characters

These words share at least one character with 只是. Reading them together is how the character starts to stick — the same characters in a different context.

• 是shìHSK 1

  to be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true; (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well; (adverb for emphatic assertion)

• 只zhǐHSK 2

  only; merely; just; but

• 就是jiù shìHSK 3

  exactly; precisely; only; simply; just; (used correlatively with 也) even; even if

• 但是dàn shìHSK 2

  but; however

• 还是hái shiHSK 1

  still (as before); had better; unexpectedly; or

• 只有zhǐ yǒuHSK 3

  only have ...; there is only ...; (used in combination with 才) it is only if one ... (that one can ...) (Example: 只有通过治疗才能痊愈 "the only way to cure it is with therapy"); it is only ... (who ...) (Example: 要 "only men would have such a requirement"); (used to indicate that one has no alternative) one can only (do a certain thing) (Example: 服 "the only thing you can do is give in")

• 可是kě shìHSK 2

  but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed

• 只要zhǐ yàoHSK 2

  if only; so long as

• 是否shì fǒuHSK 4

  whether (or not); if; is or isn't

• 总是zǒng shìHSK 3

  always

• 只能zhǐ néngHSK 2

  can only; obliged to do sth; to have no other choice

• 而是ér shìHSK 4

  rather

• 于是yú shìHSK 4

  thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence

• 正是zhèng shìHSK 2

  is precisely

• 要是yào shiHSK 3

  (coll.) if

• 算是suàn shìHSK 6

  considered to be; at last

• 或是huò shìHSK 5

  or; either one or the other

• 只不过zhǐ bu guòHSK 5

  only; merely; nothing but; no more than; it's just that ...

• 是不是shì bù shìHSK 1

  is or isn't; yes or no; whether or not

• 只好zhǐ hǎoHSK 3

  to have no other option but to ...; to have to; to be forced to

• 也就是说yě jiù shì shuōHSK 7

  in other words; that is to say; so; thus

• 倒是dào shiHSK 5

  contrary to what one might expect; actually; contrariwise; why don't you

• 老是lǎo shiHSK 2

  always

• 是非shì fēiHSK 7

  right and wrong; quarrel