只要 (zhǐ yào) — if only in Mandarin
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#481 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
只要 is pronounced zhǐ yào. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
zhǐ yào nǐ nǔ lì, jiù huì chéng gōng。
As long as you work hard, you will succeed.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 只要 mean?+
只要 (zhǐ yào) means "if only" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 只要?+
只要 is pronounced zhǐ yào. It uses the tone 3 (rising/dipping), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 只要 in Mandarin?+
只要 is the #481 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 只要 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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