HSK 3 · Modal & Attitude

只是

zhǐ shì

only; merely; but

Stroke order of 只是

2 characters, 14 strokes in total. Watch the animation, then try writing it yourself.

只 · 5 strokes 是 · 9 strokes

Memory trick

A mouth 口 below 八 in 只, with 是 being: nothing more than that.

Parts: 只 only (口 + 八) + 是 is

The characters in 只是

只 zhǐ — only; just (5 strokes)
是 shì — to be (am / is / are) (9 strokes)

Example sentence

我只是想问一下。

I just wanted to ask.

Words with 只

只only; just 只能can only 只要as long as 只有only; only if 只好to have no choice but to

Words with 是

是to be (am / is / are)是不是is it or not 还是or; still; had better 老是always (complaining)但是but 可是but 正是exactly; precisely 总是always 要是if 就是exactly; just 有的是to have plenty of

More words: Modal & Attitude

当然of course 其实actually 确实indeed; really 果然as expected; sure enough 到底after all; on earth 反正anyway 难道could it be that 千万be sure to; ten million 恐怕I'm afraid; perhaps 大概probably; roughly 就是exactly; just 只有only; only if 只好to have no choice but to 不得不to have to 不必need not

Learn to write it by hand

Bloomko is a free Android app: write characters stroke by stroke, practise with spaced repetition and get an AI tutor that works offline. Be the first to know when it launches.