About
The character 唯 is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic component, the mouth radical 口 (kǒu) on the left, links it to vocalizations or speech. The phonetic component on the right, 隹 (zhuī), originally depicted a short-tailed bird. Historically, 唯 expressed an affirmative sound like "yes" or a prompt response. Its primary meaning, however, shifted to function as an adverb or conjunction meaning "only" or "merely", moving from a vocal origin to convey exclusivity in modern usage.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他是唯一的学生。
唯独他喜欢这个电影。
我唯一的要求是诚实。
在团队中，他是唯一的领导者。
如果没有唯一的选择，我们会困惑。
她之所以成功，唯靠坚持不懈的努力。
唯物主义者认为物质是唯一的实在。
在诸多方案中，唯此方案既能节省成本又能提高效率。