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Expressing merely or just with 只是 (zhǐshì)
Degree & Intensity
Emphasis
Structure
只是 + Verb Phrase / Adjective
Explanation
只是 means "merely," "just," or "only," downplaying the significance of what follows. It softens a statement by indicating that the situation is not as serious as it might seem. Place it before the adjective or verb phrase it modifies.
Examples
别紧张，我只是随便问问。
Bié jǐnzhāng, wǒ zhǐshì suíbiàn wènwen.
Don't be nervous; I'm just asking casually.
他只是有点累，休息一下就好了。
Tā zhǐshì yǒudiǎn lèi, xiūxi yíxià jiù hǎo le.
He's just a bit tired; he'll be fine after some rest.
这只是一个小问题，很快就能解决。
Zhè zhǐshì yígè xiǎo wèntí, hěn kuài jiù néng jiějué.
This is just a small problem; it can be solved quickly.