adverb / verb phrase HSK 5
Traditional 僅有
only have · merely possess · nothing but
Meaning
仅有 means to have only a limited amount of something, emphasizing scarcity or limitation. It combines 仅 (only, merely) with 有 (to have) to stress that what exists is minimal or the sole option available. This word often appears in formal or written contexts to highlight insufficiency or exclusivity.
Usage
仅有 is commonly used in formal writing, news reports, and speeches to emphasize limitations or small quantities. It often precedes a number or amount to stress how little there is. Native speakers use it when they want to sound more serious or literary compared to just saying 只有.
Examples
- 01这个村子仅有二十户人家。.This village has only twenty households.
- 02我们仅有三天时间来完成这个项目。.We have only three days to complete this project.
Characters
Common collocations
- 仅有的the only (something)
- 仅有少数only a small number
- 仅有一次only one time
Antonyms
Origin
仅 originally meant narrow or limited, derived from the radical 亻(person) and 堇 (phonetic component). Combined with 有, the phrase literally means to have in a limited way.