只
zhǐ · HSK 2
only
☝️ 只 = 口 (mouth) + 八 (eight/parts) — one voice, only one
Originally depicted a single bird (cf. 隻); now means only/merely. The 口 on top and 八 below suggest a sound coming out of just one source. Common in 只是 (zhǐshì, only) and 只有 (zhǐyǒu, only have).
只 — mouth 口 + bird tail 八
Originally a pictograph showing a bird (口 as body) with its tail feathers (八) spread, meaning a single bird. It was later borrowed phonetically to write the grammatical particle and adverb meaning 'only' or 'just,' which became its dominant modern use.
zhǐ · HSK 2
only
☝️ 只 = mouth 口 + bird's tail 八; originally 'one bird', now means 'only/just'
Etymology: top 口 (mouth) over 八 (splayed tail feathers) depicted a single bird perched. The 'one bird' sense generalised to 'only, merely'. Also a measure word for one of a pair (one hand, one shoe).
只 — mouth 口 + bird tail 八
Originally a pictograph showing a bird (口 as body) with its tail feathers (八) spread, meaning a single bird. It was later borrowed phonetically to write the grammatical particle and adverb meaning 'only' or 'just,' which became its dominant modern use.