Chinese Character: 仅
1. Character Basics
Radical: 亻/rén (human/person)
Stroke Count: 4
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jǐn (third tone)
3. Meaning
Only, merely, just, barely
4. Common Words
- 仅仅 (jǐn jǐn): Only, merely, just
- 仅有 (jǐn yǒu): Only have, merely exist
- 不仅 (bù jǐn): Not only
- 仅次 (jǐn cì): Second only to
- 仅限于 (jǐn xiàn yú): Limited to, only applicable to
- 仅够 (jǐn gòu): Just enough, barely sufficient
5. Grammar & Usage
As an adverb:
- Used to indicate limitation or restriction: 仅有一人 (only one person)
- Often used before verbs or noun phrases to emphasize scarcity or exclusivity
Common structures:
- 不仅...而且... (bù jǐn...ér qiě...): Not only...but also...
- 仅有... (jǐn yǒu...): Only have...
- 仅次... (jǐn cì...): Second only to...
Usage notes:
- More formal than 只 (zhǐ), often used in written Chinese and formal speech
- Can be doubled for emphasis: 仅仅 (jǐn jǐn)
- When used with negative expressions, it strengthens the negation: 不仅不...反而... (not only not...but instead...)
6. Cultural Background
The character 仅 has interesting cultural connotations in Chinese language and thought:
Linguistic development:
- Originally meant "to have enough" in ancient Chinese, later evolved to mean "only" or "merely"
- The shift reflects how language evolves to express different shades of meaning
Cultural perspective:
- In Chinese culture, the concept of "just enough" (仅) relates to the philosophy of moderation
- It can also reflect humility when used to describe one's own abilities or possessions
Modern usage:
- Commonly used in news reports, academic writing, and formal documents
- Frequently appears in statistical contexts to highlight limited quantities or comparisons
Idiomatic expressions:
- While 仅 itself isn't often part of traditional idioms, its combination with other characters forms many useful expressions in modern Chinese
7. Example Sentence
中文: 这个图书馆仅有五千本书。
Pinyin: Zhè gè tú shū guǎn jǐn yǒu wǔ qiān běn shū.
Translation: This library has only five thousand books.
8. Memory Tips
Character breakdown:
- 亻 (human radical) on the left
- 又 (hand) on the right
Mnemonic:
Imagine a person (亻) holding something small with their hand (又), representing the idea of "only" or "just a little bit".
Visual association:
The simple 4-stroke structure makes this character easy to remember. The 亻 radical gives it a human connection, while the 又 suggests action or possession in a limited way.