唯 (wéi) - Only & alone

唯Tone 2

wéi ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

唯 · wéi

Only;

alone;

solely;

yes (classical);

used to express exclusivity or limitation.

Onlyalonesolely

Usage highlights

Only oneMaterialismIdealismOnly childSolelyMerely

Synonyms

  • 仅— only; merely
  • 独— alone; sole

Antonyms

  • 多— many; much
  • 众— numerous; crowd

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This is the only way (唯一的方法).
  • I only like this one (我唯喜欢这个).
  • He answered 'yes' (他回答'唯').
  • Materialism (唯物主义).

Collocations

  • Only one(唯一)
  • Materialism(唯物主义)
  • Idealism(唯心主义)
  • Only child(独生子女 - but contextually 唯 can emphasize 'only')
  • Solely(唯独)
  • Merely(唯此)

Idioms

  • To echo others(唯唯诺诺)
  • Acting on one's own(唯我独尊)
  • The only way out(唯一出路)
  • Responding subserviently(唯命是从)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese, 唯 was used as an affirmative response, similar to 'yes'.
  • Used in philosophical terms like 唯物主义 (materialism) and 唯心主义 (idealism).
  • Implies exclusivity or singularity, often in formal or literary contexts.

FAQ