只能zhǐ néngcan only

1. 1.

   can onlyverb

2. 2.

   obliged to do sthverb

3. 3.

   to have no other choiceverb

• 只only; merely; just
• 能can

只能 comes before a verb and often follows a reason, showing that this is the one option left.

1. HSK 3

   没有车了，我们只能走路回家。

   Méiyǒu chē le, wǒmen zhǐnéng zǒulù huí jiā.

   There's no car anymore, so we can only walk home.

2. HSK 4

   我只能等到五点。

   Wǒ zhǐnéng děng dào wǔ diǎn.

   I can only wait until five o'clock.

3. HSK 3

   我太累了，只能在家休息。

   Wǒ tài lèi le, zhǐnéng zài jiā xiūxi.

   I'm too tired, so I can only rest at home.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   外面下大雨了。

   Wàimiàn xià dà yǔ le.

   It's raining hard outside.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   我们都没带伞。

   Wǒmen dōu méi dài sǎn.

   Neither of us brought an umbrella.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   那我们只能在这儿等一会儿了。

   Nà wǒmen zhǐnéng zài zhèr děng yíhuìr le.

   Then we can only wait here for a while.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   好，我去买两杯咖啡。

   Hǎo, wǒ qù mǎi liǎng bēi kāfēi.

   OK, I'll go buy two cups of coffee.

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Related words

• 只zhīclassifier for birds and certain animals, one of a pair, some utensils, vessels etcHSK 1
• 能néngcan; to be able toHSK 1
• 只有zhǐ yǒuonly have ...; there is only ...HSK 3
• 只是zhǐ shìmerely; only; justHSK 3
• 只要zhǐ yàoso long asHSK 3
• 能够néng gòuto be able toHSK 4

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