English–Chinese
“can only” in Chinese
How to say “can only” in Chinese
“Can only” in Chinese is 只能 (zhǐ néng).
A narrow path remains after other choices are closed, so one action or result is the only possible one.
Example sentences with 只能
夜里太黑，别走快，我们只能慢慢走回家。yè lǐ tài hēi bié zǒu kuài wǒ men zhǐ néng màn màn zǒu huí jiā
It's too dark at night, so don't walk fast; we can only walk slowly home.
Tips for using 只能
- English can only often describes a limit on ability, while this Chinese adverb often shows that circumstances leave no workable alternative.