zi2只

Jyutpingzi2

Yalejí

Very common

Definition

Only; just; limiting the scope of something.

colloquialdescriptions

How it's used

Often paired with 係 to form 只係, which functions as the standard way to say just or only in spoken Cantonese. While it can appear alone in formal writing, it sounds incomplete or overly literary in casual speech without the 係 particle. It serves to narrow down a scope or quantity, emphasizing that nothing else is included.

Examples

ngo5我zi2只hai6係soeng2想sik6食go3個baau1包ze1啫。

I just want to eat a bun.

nei5你zi2只hai6係dak1得ng5五fan1分zung1鐘si4時gaan3間aa4呀。

You only have five minutes.

Common phrases

zi2只hai6係

just; only

zi2只jiu3要

as long as

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the measure word 隻, which is used for animals or one of a pair. Using 只 as a measure word in place of 隻 is a common orthographic error for learners.