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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'only' with 仅 (jǐn)

    Degree & Intensity
    Emphasis

    Structure

    仅 + Verb/Number

    Explanation

    仅 (jǐn) means 'only' or 'merely' and is a more formal and literary alternative to 只. It is placed before a verb or quantity to emphasize that something is limited. For example, 仅取得了 means 'only achieved.'

    Examples

    • 这次考试他仅得了六十分。

      zhè cì kǎoshì tā jǐn dé le liùshí fēn.

      He only scored sixty points on this exam.

    • 全班仅有三个人通过了面试。

      quán bān jǐn yǒu sān gè rén tōngguò le miànshì.

      Only three people in the whole class passed the interview.

    • 距离终点仅剩一百米了。

      jùlí zhōngdiǎn jǐn shèng yībǎi mǐ le.

      There are only one hundred meters left to the finish line.

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