B2 adverb Neutral 3 Min. Lesezeit

唯独

weidu /weɪ̯²¹⁴ tu⁵⁵/
Practice it

Overview

The Chinese word '唯独' (wéi dú) is an adverb that conveys the meaning of 'only,' 'alone,' 'solely,' or 'exceptionally.' It emphasizes that a particular person, thing, or situation is an exception among others, highlighting its uniqueness or isolation.

'唯独' is typically used to introduce a contrasting element, indicating that while a general statement applies to most, there is one specific case that stands apart. It often creates a sense of exclusivity or singularity.

Usage Patterns and Nuances:

  1. 1Emphasizing an Exception: '唯独' often appears in sentences where a general statement is made, followed by an exception. For example, '大家都去了，唯独他没去。' (Dà jiā dōu qù le, wéi dú tā méi qù.) – 'Everyone went, only he didn't.' Here, '唯独' singles out 'he' as the sole exception.
  1. 1Highlighting Uniqueness/Singularity: It can be used to underscore that something is the one and only of its kind or has a unique characteristic. For instance, '在这个问题上，唯独你有不同的看法。' (Zài zhè ge wèn tí shàng, wéi dú nǐ yǒu bù tóng de kàn fǎ.) – 'On this issue, only you have a different view.' This emphasizes the distinctiveness of 'your' opinion.
  1. 1Often Followed by a Noun or Pronoun: '唯独' frequently precedes the noun or pronoun that represents the exception or the unique element.
  1. 1Can be used with '是' (shì - to be): Sometimes, '唯独是' is used, though '唯独' alone is more common and often sufficient. '唯独是他犯了错。' (Wéi dú shì tā fàn le cuò.) – 'Only he made a mistake.'
  1. 1Conveys a stronger emphasis than '只有' (zhǐ yǒu - only): While '只有' also means 'only,' '唯独' carries a more emphatic tone, often implying a sense of surprise, particularity, or even a slight grievance about the exception.
  1. 1Contextual Implications: Depending on the context, '唯独' can convey different undertones. It can express:
  • Exclusivity: '唯独这家店有这种商品。' (Wéi dú zhè jiā diàn yǒu zhè zhǒng shāng pǐn.) – 'Only this store has this type of product.'
  • Isolation: '他一生唯独爱过她一个人。' (Tā yī shēng wéi dú ài guò tā yī gè rén.) – 'In his whole life, he only loved her.'
  • Unfairness (sometimes): If everyone else receives something and '唯独' one person doesn't, it can imply a sense of unfairness.

Examples in Sentences:

  • '所有人都同意了，唯独他表示反对。' (Suǒ yǒu rén dōu tóng yì le, wéi dú tā biǎo shì fǎn duì.)
  • 'Everyone agreed, only he expressed opposition.'
  • '我的爱好很多，唯独不喜欢运动。' (Wǒ de ài hào hěn duō, wéi dú bù xǐ huān yùn dòng.)
  • 'I have many hobbies, but I dislike sports.'
  • '在那个团队里，唯独她是从国外回来的。' (Zài nà ge tuán duì lǐ, wéi dú tā shì cóng guó wài huí lái de.)
  • 'In that team, only she returned from abroad.'
  • '他什么都吃了，唯独没有吃米饭。' (Tā shén me dōu chī le, wéi dú méi yǒu chī mǐ fàn.)
  • 'He ate everything, except for rice.'

Understanding '唯独' enriches one's ability to express exceptions and unique situations with precision and emphasis in Chinese.

Beispiele

1

我有很多朋友，唯独你最懂我。

强调唯一性，排除其他。

I have many friends, but only you understand me best.

2

所有人都可以走，唯独他不能走。

表示在群体中唯一例外的情况。

Everyone else can leave, but only he cannot.

3

他唯独对数学不感兴趣。

表示在多个方面中，只有某一方面例外。

He is only not interested in mathematics.

4

这世上唯独真理是永恒的。

用于哲学或抒情语境，强调某个事物的独一无二。

In this world, only truth is eternal.

5

我唯独不喜欢吃香菜。

表达个人偏好中唯一的例外。

I only dislike cilantro.

Häufige Kollokationen

唯独你
唯独我
唯独他
唯独这件事

Wird oft verwechselt mit

唯独 vs wéiyī (唯一)

唯独 emphasizes singularity and exclusion, meaning 'only' or 'alone amongst others.' 唯一 stresses uniqueness and being the one and only, often implying 'the only one of its kind.'

Grammatikmuster

唯独 + [person/thing] + [verb phrase]: This pattern highlights that only a specific person or thing performs an action or possesses a certain quality. Example: 唯独他没来。(Only he didn't come.) 唯独 + [statement], [contrastive statement]: This structure emphasizes a unique exception or a sole contrasting point. Example: 大家都同意了，唯独他有不同意见。(Everyone agreed, only he had a different opinion.) 在所有…中，唯独…: This pattern is used to single out one element from a larger group. Example: 在所有的学生中，唯独他考了满分。(Among all the students, only he got a perfect score.)

How to Use It

Nutzungshinweise

'唯独' (wéidú) functions as an adverb, typically placed before the verb or adjective it modifies to stress exclusivity or singularity. It is often used to highlight a unique exception or a sole instance within a larger context. For example, '大家都走了，唯独他留了下来' (Dàjiā dōu zǒule, wéidú tā liúle xiàlái) means 'Everyone left, only he stayed behind.' Another common usage is '唯独你才能理解我' (Wéidú nǐ cái néng lǐjiě wǒ), meaning 'Only you can understand me.' It can also be used to express a sense of regret or disappointment about a single missing element, such as '一切都好，唯独天气不作美' (Yīqiè dōu hǎo, wéidú tiānqì bù zuò měi), which translates to 'Everything is good, only the weather is not ideal.' Unlike '只' (zhǐ), which can simply mean 'only' in a quantitative sense, '唯独' carries a stronger emotional or emphatic tone, emphasizing the distinctiveness of the exception.

Häufige Fehler

A common mistake is to confuse '唯独' (wéi dú) with similar-sounding words or to use it in contexts where a simpler '只' (zhǐ) or '只有' (zhǐ yǒu) would be more appropriate. '唯独' carries a stronger emphasis on exclusivity and uniqueness, often implying that something stands out as an exception or is the sole instance of a characteristic. For example, while you can say '我只有一本书' (wǒ zhǐ yǒu yī běn shū - I only have one book), if you want to emphasize that out of many things, only this one book is present or has a certain quality, you might use '唯独我有一本书' (wéi dú wǒ yǒu yī běn shū - Only I have one book [among others who have none]). It's also important to ensure the context truly warrants the strong exclusivity implied by '唯独' to avoid making your language sound overly dramatic or unnatural. Consider the nuance: '只' is a general 'only,' '只有' is 'only have,' and '唯独' is 'only/alone/singularly' – highlighting a unique exception.

Tips

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Usage Tips for 唯独 (wéidú)

唯独 (wéidú) is an adverb that means 'only,' 'alone,' or 'solely.' It emphasizes the uniqueness or exclusivity of something. It is often used to highlight a specific exception or the singular nature of an action or state. You can use it when you want to draw attention to a single person, thing, or situation that stands apart from others. For example, '他谁都不相信，唯独相信我。' (Tā shuí dōu bù xiāngxìn, wéidú xiāngxìn wǒ. - He doesn't believe anyone, only me.) or '我们都同意了，唯独他不同意。' (Wǒmen dōu tóngyì le, wéidú tā bù tóngyì. - We all agreed, except for him alone.)

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Common Pitfalls and Nuances

While 唯独 (wéidú) can often be translated as 'only,' it carries a stronger sense of exclusivity and emphasis compared to other 'only' words like '只' (zhǐ) or '只有' (zhǐyǒu). 唯独 (wéidú) often implies a contrast or an exception to a general rule or expectation. Be careful not to overuse it when a simpler '只' or '只有' would suffice, as 唯独 (wéidú) can make your sentence sound a bit more formal or dramatic. Also, ensure the element being emphasized by 唯独 (wéidú) is clearly understood in the context. For instance, '唯独我去了。' (Wéidú wǒ qù le. - Only I went.) implies others did not go.

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Advanced Applications

For advanced learners, 唯独 (wéidú) can be used to create more nuanced and sophisticated expressions. It can precede a noun phrase, a pronoun, or even a verb phrase to pinpoint the exclusive nature of the action or object. Consider its use in literary contexts to evoke a sense of isolation or unique significance. For example, '在这片废墟中，唯独那棵老树依然挺立。' (Zài zhè piàn fèixū zhōng, wéidú nà kē lǎo shù yīrán tǐnglì. - In this ruin, only that old tree still stood tall.) This usage adds a touch of solemnity and highlights the tree's resilience. You can also pair it with '除了… 以外' (chúle… yǐwài - besides…), as in '除了他以外，唯独你懂我的心。' (Chúle tā yǐwài, wéidú nǐ dǒng wǒ de xīn. - Besides him, only you understand my heart.) to further refine the exclusivity.

Wortherkunft

The word '唯独' is composed of two characters: '唯' (wéi) and '独' (dú). '唯' means 'only' or 'alone', and '独' also means 'alone' or 'single'. The combination of these two characters reinforces the meaning of 'only' or 'alone'. The character '唯' can be traced back to ancient oracle bone inscriptions, where it depicted a bird with a single feather, symbolizing uniqueness. The character '独' originally referred to a single animal, often a dog, and evolved to mean 'alone' or 'independent'. Over time, these two characters were combined to create '唯独', emphasizing exclusivity and singularity. Its usage can be found in classical Chinese texts, where it consistently conveyed the idea of something being singular or exclusive amidst others.

Kultureller Kontext

The word '唯独' (wéidú) in Chinese carries a nuanced cultural weight that emphasizes exclusivity and singularity. It often appears in contexts where there's a strong contrast between a general situation and a specific exception. Culturally, this highlights a common East Asian value placed on distinctions and exceptions, rather than broad generalizations. It can be used to underscore a unique individual achievement that stands out from a group, or to lament a singular misfortune amidst general well-being. This emphasis on the 'one and only' can also be seen in traditional storytelling, where a particular character or event holds unique significance. Therefore, understanding '唯独' goes beyond a simple translation of 'only' or 'alone'; it encompasses a cultural lens through which exceptions are perceived as noteworthy and often impactful.

Merkhilfe

Visualize a lonely person standing in a vast, empty space, emphasizing their solitude and the idea of 'only' or 'alone.'

Häufig gestellte Fragen

4 Fragen

'唯独' (wéidú) is a Chinese word that translates to 'only' or 'alone' in English. It is often used to emphasize exclusivity or singularity, highlighting that a particular person, thing, or situation is an exception among others. It can be used in various contexts to express that something is unique, singular, or stands apart from a general group or condition. For example, you might say '他唯独喜欢苹果' (Tā wéidú xǐhuan píngguǒ), meaning 'He only likes apples,' emphasizing his preference for apples above all other fruits.

'唯独' is typically placed before the element it modifies, which could be a noun, pronoun, or a verb phrase, to indicate that only that specific element is involved. For instance, in the sentence '今天所有人都来了，唯独他没来' (Jīntiān suǒyǒu rén dōu lái le, wéidú tā méi lái), it means 'Everyone came today, only he didn't come,' highlighting his absence as the sole exception. Another example could be '在众多选择中，我唯独看中了这一个' (Zài zhòngduō xuǎnzé zhōng, wǒ wéidú kàn zhòng le zhè yīgè), which translates to 'Among many choices, I only took a fancy to this one,' emphasizing a singular preference.

While '唯独' specifically emphasizes 'only' or 'alone' with a nuance of exclusivity, some related terms or synonyms that might convey similar ideas in certain contexts include '只有' (zhǐyǒu - only, merely), '仅仅' (jǐnjǐn - merely, solely), and '单独' (dāndú - alone, by oneself). However, '唯独' often carries a stronger sense of exception or uniqueness compared to these other terms. For instance, '只有' can simply mean 'there is only,' while '唯独' often implies 'everyone else, except for this one.'

'唯独' itself is generally neutral in connotation; its positive or negative nuance depends entirely on the context of the sentence. For example, '唯独他没有迟到' (Wéidú tā méiyǒu chídào - Only he was not late) carries a positive implication for the person. Conversely, '唯独他没有完成任务' (Wéidú tā méiyǒu wánchéng rènwù - Only he did not complete the task) would have a negative connotation. It simply highlights an exception, and whether that exception is good or bad is determined by the surrounding words and situation.

Teste dich selbst

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在所有的兄弟姐妹中，他___受到了父母的偏爱。

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
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大家都在讨论这个问题，___你保持沉默。

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:
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我喜欢所有的水果，___不喜欢榴莲。

Richtig! Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort:

Ergebnis: /3

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