m.
Measure word for a single bird or one of a pair. Counts animals, birds, and one of paired items like shoes or hands. The old form 隻 shows a bird (隹) held in one hand (又), simplified to 只.
只
adv.
Restriction or limitation to a single thing, amount, or case. Only, merely, just; the all-purpose adverb meaning "nothing more than." A mouth (口) with two legs (八) — just one small bird, and only it remains.
Common Usage & Traps
- 一只猫 — one cat
- 两只鸟 — two birds
- 一只手 — one hand (one of a pair)
- 只有 — only have; there is only (different 只, read zhǐ)
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一只书一本书只 counts animals and single halves of a pair, never books or paper.
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一只人一个人只 never counts people, no matter how much English 'one' feels universal.
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二只猫两只猫Before a counting word you say 两, not 二. 二 only shows up in counting and phone numbers.
Why does a cat take 只 and not 个?
Animals and half-of-a-pair body items take 只, people and books do not.
Chinese counts nouns with a counting word, and every noun has its favorite one. 猫, 狗, 鸟, 手 and 鞋 all take 只. People take 个, and flat stuff like books takes 本. So 一个猫 is understandable but sounds instantly wrong to a native ear. Learners default to 个 because it feels safe, then get corrected by taxi drivers.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One cat | 一只猫 | 一个猫 |
| One person | 一个人 | 一只人 |
| One hand / one shoe | 一只手 / 一只鞋 | 一个手 |
| One book | 一本书 | 一只书 |
Is 只 in 一只猫 the same word as 只 in 只有一只猫?
No. 只 is two words: zhī counts animals, zhǐ means only.
Read zhī, it is the counting word for animals, as in 一只猫. Read zhǐ, it means only and sits right in front of the verb, as in 我只喝茶. In 只有一只猫 the two sit side by side: there is only one cat. First 只 means only, second 只 counts the cat. Same character, different tone, different job.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Counting a cat (zhī) | 一只猫 | 只猫 |
| Meaning only, before a verb (zhǐ) | 我只喝茶 | 我喝只茶 |
| Both in one sentence | 只有一只猫 | 只一只猫 |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
This playful poem helps you count and practice vocabulary about clothes, students, and pets. Enjoy the rhythm while learning new words.
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买了五 只 小猫，七百零五块钱。
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卖了六 只 小狗，四百零九元钱。
A young man helps an old man look for his cat. But the real surprise is why the old man wanted to find the cat. Read on to learn about kindness and friendship.
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一天，白天明在学校大门口前边看见有人写了找猫的话：“我想找一 只 大白猫。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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