僅 (jǐn) - Only & merely

僅Tone 3

jǐn ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

僅 · jǐn

Only;

merely;

just;

barely;

no more than;

limited to.

Onlymerelyjust

Usage highlights

Only haveMerelyJust nowNo more thanBarely enoughOnly then

Synonyms

  • 只— only; just
  • 才— only then; just
  • 唯— only; alone

Antonyms

  • 多— many; much
  • 全— all; complete
  • 尽— all; exhaustive

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He only has one book (他仅有一本书).
  • This is merely a suggestion (这仅是一个建议).
  • The meeting lasted just 30 minutes (会议仅持续了30分钟).
  • We barely made it on time (我们仅按时到达).

Collocations

  • Only have(仅有)
  • Merely(仅仅)
  • Just now(仅此)
  • No more than(仅限于)
  • Barely enough(仅够)
  • Only then(仅此而已)

Idioms

  • Just this once(仅此一次)
  • Merely skin and bones(仅存皮骨)
  • Only then did I realize(仅此方知)
  • Barely surviving(仅以身免)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used to express limitation or scarcity in classical and modern Chinese.
  • Often appears in formal or written contexts to emphasize restriction.
  • Can convey modesty or understatement when describing achievements or possessions.

FAQ