HSK · Level 87
45 words
Chinese word
唯
Pronunciation
Pinyinwéi
Meaning
- adverbonly
Example
这事唯你知道。zhè shì wéi nǐ zhī dào
Only you know about this matter.
More examples
唯有努力，才能取得好成绩。wéi yǒu nǔ lì cái néng qǔ dé hǎo chéng jì
Only by working hard can you get good grades.
Core concept
Sets one person or thing apart while leaving everything else outside the focus.
Common phrases
唯有wéi yǒu
only
唯独wéi dú
only
Similar words
只zhǐ: Limits a statement to only one person, thing, action, or amount, often in speech.
仅仅jín jǐn: Emphasizes that the amount, degree, or scope is very small.
只有zhí yǒu: Shows that something holds only under a certain condition or within a certain range.
只是zhǐ shì: Limits a previously stated idea to just that and no more.
Definition in Chinese
表示仅有、只是，用来强调排他性或限定性，多用于书面或文言。biǎo shì jǐn yǒu zhǐ shì yòng lái qiáng diào pái tā xìng huò xiàn dìng xìng duō yòng yú shū miàn huò wén yán
Word origin
唯 (wéi, "only") is an old literary adverb that has long marked restriction to one person or thing, which explains its formal tone today.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation, this adverb often signals a formal or classical style, so it is especially useful for recognizing written Chinese rather than copying its tone into casual speech.