Word information
Simplified只能
Traditional只能
Pinyinzhǐnéng
Part of speechGeneral
HSK 3.03
HSK 2.0Not listed
Chinese word dictionary
只能
zhǐnéng · can only; obliged to do sth; to have no other choice
Character breakdown
Study each Hanzi separately, then return to the complete word so pronunciation, meaning, and movement stay connected.
How to learn 只能
Listen once without reading, repeat the pinyin with its tones, then write every character in sequence. Finally, recall the complete meaning instead of memorizing each character as an isolated translation.
When the word appears in a sentence, check whether its part of speech and meaning match the definition shown here. Chinese words can change nuance with context.
Related vocabulary
Words with the same characters
Compare how a familiar Hanzi changes meaning inside another word.
能néng
can; to be able to; might possibly; ability; (physics) energy; surname Neng
只zhīclassifier for birds and certain animals, one of a pair, some utensils, vessels etc; grain that has begun to ripen; variant of 隻|只[zhi1]
可能kěnéngmight (happen); possible; probable; possibility; probability; maybe; perhaps; CL:個|个[ge4]
只是zhǐshìmerely; only; just; nothing but; simply; but; however
只要zhǐyàoso long as; provided; if
只有zhǐyǒuonly have ...; there is only ...; (used in combination with 才[cai2]) it is only if ... (that one can ...) (as in 只有通過治療才能痊愈|只有通过治疗才能痊愈[zhi3 you3 tong1 guo4 zhi4 liao2 cai2 neng2 quan2 yu4] "the only way to cure it is with therapy"); it is only (someone) who ... (as in 只有男性才有此需要[zhi3 you3 nan2 xing4 cai2 you3 ci3 xu1 yao4] "only men would have such a requirement"); (used to express lack of alternatives) can only; have no choice but to (as in 只有屈服[zhi3 you3 qu1 fu2] "the only thing you can do is give in")