只
能

Can only in Chinese: 只能 (zhǐ néng)

zhǐ néng

can only

HSK 3.0 Level 21 example sentence

Definitions

  1. 1can only
  2. 2obliged to do sth
  3. 3to have no other choice

Stroke order

Watch how to write 只能 stroke by stroke.

只
能

Zhuyin

This word’s pronunciation in Bopomofo.

Learn how to read Zhuyin

ㄓˇ

zhǐ

ㄓ/ zhˇ/ third tone

ㄋㄥˊ

néng

ㄋ/ nㄥ/ engˊ/ second tone

Example sentences

See 只能 used in real sentences with pinyin and English translations.

  • 下雨了，我们只能坐车回家。

    xià yǔ le， wǒ men zhǐ néng zuò chē huí jiā。

    It's raining, so we can only take a car home.

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Related words

能

néng

can

只

zhǐ

only

可能

kě néng

might (happen)

能力

néng lì

capability

只好

zhǐ hǎo

to have no other option but to ...

只要

zhǐ yào

if only

功能

gōng néng

function

能干

néng gàn

capable

能源

néng yuán

energy

能够

néng gòu

to be capable of

才能

cái néng

talent

只是

zhǐ shì

merely

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 2 vocabulary list

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