Meaning
仅 is a common adverb meaning 'only' or 'merely,' used to emphasize limitation or smallness in quantity, degree, or scope. It typically appears before numbers, amounts, or verbs to stress that something is minimal or restricted. This character is more formal than the colloquial 只 (zhǐ) and appears frequently in written Chinese.
Usage
仅 is widely used in both spoken and written Mandarin, though it leans slightly more formal than 只. Native speakers often pair it with 仅仅 (jǐnjǐn) for added emphasis meaning 'only' or 'merely.' It commonly appears before numbers (仅三天 'only three days') or in the pattern 不仅...而且... (bùjǐn...érqiě...) meaning 'not only...but also...'
Examples
- 01这本书仅需五十元。.This book costs only fifty yuan.
- 02他不仅会说英语，而且还会说法语。, .He not only speaks English, but also speaks French.
Common collocations
- 不仅...而且.........not only...but also...
- 仅此而已that's all, nothing more
- 仅供参考for reference only
- 仅限limited to, restricted to
Origin
The traditional form 僅 combines the person radical 亻(rén) with 堇 (jǐn), which originally referred to a type of clay or earth. The semantic development to 'only' or 'barely' reflects the idea of scarcity or minimal amount.