只有
Pattern
只有 + limited item / condition
Key words
Core idea
只有 means “only” or “there is only.”
It limits the statement to one person, thing, amount, option, or condition.
Two common uses
Use 只有 before a limited noun phrase when saying only that thing exists or is available.
Use it before a condition when saying only that condition can lead to a result.
Usage boundary
Do not add another 有 before 只有. The word already contains it.
Examples
我只有十块钱。
Wǒ zhǐyǒu shí kuài qián.
I only have ten dollars.
这里只有一家店。
Zhèlǐ zhǐyǒu yì jiā diàn.
There is only one store here.
只有努力，才会进步。
Zhǐyǒu nǔlì, cái huì jìnbù.
Only by working hard can you improve.
Common mistakes
Avoid
我有只有十块钱。
Use
我只有十块钱。
只有 already contains 有 in this word, so do not add another 有 before it.
Seen in stories
The Midnight Sign-Off
校园电台最后一次深夜节目开始时，留言区只有一条消息。
When the campus radio station's final late-night program begins, there is only one message in the comments.
The Midnight Sign-Off
小周看着屏幕说，只有一个听众也要认真播完。
Xiao Zhou looks at the screen and says that even with only one listener, they must finish the broadcast seriously.
The Midnight Sign-Off
阿宁打开热线，发现电话那头只有很轻的风声。
A Ning opens the hotline and finds only a very soft wind sound on the other end.
The Midnight Sign-Off
他说，只有在最想退学的时候，才敢给电台写信。
He says only when he most wanted to quit school did he dare write to the station.
The Midnight Sign-Off
小周没有放音乐，因为此刻只有安静最合适。
Xiao Zhou does not play music because at this moment only quiet is most fitting.
Show 9 more story examples
The Midnight Sign-Off
阿宁把结束语改成一句：只有被听见的人，才会知道自己不是一个人。
A Ning changes the sign-off to one line: only people who are heard will know they are not alone.
The Midnight Sign-Off
节目结束时，留言区还是只有一条消息。
When the program ends, the comments still contain only one message.
The Midnight Sign-Off
可是两个人都觉得，只有这一条，已经够了。
But both of them feel that only this one message is already enough.
Only the Orange Chair
管理员数了三次，发现只有那张橘色椅子没人搬。
The manager counts three times and discovers only the orange chair has not been moved.
Only the Orange Chair
她说，今天只有这个位子有名字，虽然名字没有写出来。
She says, “Today only this seat has a name, even though the name isn't written.”
Only the Orange Chair
只有一个小朋友说，他知道那是给迟到伯伯的。
Only one child says he knows it is for the late uncle.
Only the Orange Chair
他说自己只有十分钟能听，可是结束后会留下来整理。
He says he only has ten minutes to listen, but after it ends he will stay to clean up.
Only the Orange Chair
大家让出一条路，才明白有些位子只有等对的人来，才算真的满了。
Everyone clears a path and finally understands that some seats only feel truly full when the right person arrives.
Night Market Budget
他只有一百五十块。
He only had one hundred and fifty dollars.