只有

When used as an adverb, 只有 (zhǐyǒu) means "only." It emphasizes that there is a single condition or circumstance that allows something to happen or be true. You will often see 只有 (zhǐyǒu) paired with 才 (cái) in a sentence structure like "只有...才..." (zhǐyǒu...cái...). This structure means "only if...then..." or "only when...then..." It indicates that the condition introduced by 只有 (zhǐyǒu) is essential for the result indicated by 才 (cái) to occur. Consider the sentence "只有努力，才能成功" (zhǐyǒu nǔlì, cáinéng chénggōng), which means "Only by working hard can you succeed." This highlights the necessity of effort for success. If the condition after 只有 (zhǐyǒu) is not met, the outcome after 才 (cái) will not happen.