About
The traditional character 衹 is structurally formed by the clothing radical 衤, derived from 衣, combined with the phonetic element 氏, which historically provided its sound. This composition initially suggested a connection to attire or textiles, but the character was early appropriated through phonetic loan to serve as an adverb denoting limitation, such as "only" or "merely". Over time, its semantic focus shifted entirely from any tangible reference to an abstract grammatical function, a change evidenced in classical literature where 衹 consistently operates as an adverb. The phonetic component 氏 continued to cue pronunciation while the original semantic hint from the radical faded, solidifying the character's specialized role in expressing exclusivity. Despite orthographic simplifications, the traditional form 衹 preserves these components, reflecting a linguistic evolution where functional repurposing overshadowed etymological origins.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他衹说中文。
我衹需要五分钟。
她衹是笑了笑。
这本书衹有十页。
他衹会唱歌，不会跳舞。
我衹在周末看电视。
如果你衹考虑自己，别人不会喜欢你。
尽管他衹是一个初学者，但他的进步很快。