衹 meaning and stroke order
Only, merely, just
How to write 衹, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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- 9
Meaning of 衹
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- robe of a Buddhist monk or nun
How 衹 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cloth.
衤 gives the meaning and 氏 hints at the sound.
Radical: 衤 (cloth), shared by 72 characters on this site.
How to remember 衹
The clothing radical 衤 on the left points to cloth, and 氏 (shì) on the right gives a hint of the sound. Picture a single strip of cloth, just one piece and nothing more, to link it to the meaning only.
衹 (zhǐ) is a variant form of 只 (zhǐ) meaning only or just. You mostly see it in traditional-character texts, where 只 is also common. Example: 我衹有一本書。(Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yì běn shū.) I only have one book.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 衹 with 祇 (qí, earth spirit), which uses the spirit radical 礻 instead of the clothing radical 衤. Check whether the left side has the extra short stroke of 衤.
Questions about 衹
How many strokes are in 衹?
衹 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 衹 mean?
衹 (zhǐ) means only, merely, just.
How do you pronounce 衹?
衹 is pronounced zhǐ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 衹?
The radical of 衹 is 衤, which carries the idea of "cloth". Dictionaries list 衹 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 衹?
衹 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 只, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 衹 also have the reading qí?
Read as qí, it appears in Buddhist vocabulary for the robe of a monk or nun, which fits the clothing radical 衤. In everyday reading the common sense is zhǐ, meaning only.
Should I write 衹 or 只 for only?
In simplified Chinese, always write 只. In traditional texts you may meet 衹, 祇, or 只 used for only, so it helps to recognize all of them when reading.