Usage of the character 只

only have ...
there is only ...
(used in combination with 才 (cái)) it is only if one ... (that one can ...) (Example: 只有通過治療才能痊愈／只有通过治疗才能痊愈 (zhǐyǒutōngguòzhìliáocáinéngquányù) "the only way to cure it is with therapy")
it is only ... (who ...) (Example: 只有男性才有此需要 (zhǐyǒunánxìngcáiyǒucǐxūyào) "only men would have such a requirement")
(used to indicate that one has no alternative) one can only (do a certain thing) (Example: 只有屈服 (zhǐyǒuqūfú) "the only thing you can do is give in")

zhǐyào

只要

[只要]

if only
so long as

zhǐxiāo

只消

[只消]

to only need
it only takes

zhǐgù

只顾

[只顧]

solely preoccupied (with one thing)
engrossed
focusing (on sth)
to look after only one aspect

zhǐjiàn

只见

[只見]

to see (the same thing) over and over again
to see, to one's surprise, (sth happen suddenly)

zhǐshì

只是

[只是]

merely; only; just; nothing but
simply
but; however

sānzhīshǒu

三只手

[三隻手]

pickpocket

zhǐxiànyú

只限于

[只限於]

to be limited to

zhǐbuguò

只不过

[只不過]

only
merely
nothing but
no more than
it's just that ...

zhīzìbùtí

只字不提

[隻字不提]

(idiom) to say not a single word about it

zhǐzhēngzhāoxī

只争朝夕

[只爭朝夕]

(idiom) to seize every minute; to make the best use of one's time

dǒujiǔzhījī

斗酒只鸡

[斗酒隻雞]

lit. a chicken and a bottle of wine (idiom); fig. ready to make an offering to the deceased, or to entertain guests

gūshēnzhīyǐng

孤身只影

[孤身隻影]

lit. a lonely body with only a shadow for company
to be all alone (idiom)

zhǐshuōbùzuò

只说不做

[只說不做]

to be all talk and no action

zhīyánpiànyǔ

只言片语

[只言片語]

(idiom) just a word or two; a few isolated phrases

zhǐzhēngdànxī

只争旦夕

[只爭旦夕]

see 只爭朝夕／只争朝夕 (zhǐzhēngzhāoxī)

zhīyǎndújù

只眼独具

[隻眼獨具]

see 獨具隻眼／独具只眼 (dújùzhīyǎn)

zhǐqiàndōngfēng

只欠东风

[只欠東風]

all we need is an east wind (idiom); lacking only one tiny crucial item

zhījīdǒujiǔ

只鸡斗酒

[隻雞斗酒]

lit. a chicken and a bottle of wine (idiom); fig. ready to make an offering to the deceased, or to entertain guests

dújùzhīyǎn

独具只眼

[獨具隻眼]

to see what others fail to see (idiom)
to have exceptional insight

biéjùzhīyǎn

别具只眼

[別具隻眼]

see 獨具隻眼／独具只眼 (dújùzhīyǎn)

tiàoyīzhījiǎo

跳一只脚

[跳一隻腳]

to hop on one leg

xíngdān-yǐngzhī

形单影只

[形單影隻]

(idiom) lonely soul; solitary

jiǎotàliǎngzhīchuán

脚踏两只船

[腳踏兩隻船]

to have a foot in both camps
to have a bet each way
to be having an affair

jiǎocǎiliǎngzhīchuán

脚踩两只船

[腳踩兩隻船]

see 腳踏兩隻船／脚踏两只船 (jiǎotàliǎngzhīchuán)

zhēngzhīyǎnbìzhīyǎn

睁只眼闭只眼

[睜隻眼閉隻眼]

to turn a blind eye

bùpàguān,zhǐpàguǎn

不怕官，只怕管

[不怕官，只怕管]

lit. it is not an official to be feared, but a person in direct control over sb (proverb)
fig. to be obliged to comply with people in authority

zhēngyīzhīyǎnbìyīzhīyǎn

睁一只眼闭一只眼

[睜一隻眼閉一隻眼]

to turn a blind eye

zhǐjiànshùmùbùjiànsēnlín

只见树木不见森林

[只見樹木不見森林]

unable to see the wood for the trees
fig. only able to see isolated details, and not the bigger picture

zhǐkěyìhuì,bùkěyánchuán

只可意会，不可言传

[只可意會，不可言傳]

can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子／庄子 ( Zhuāngzǐ)); mysterious and subtle

wànshìjiēbèi,zhǐqiàndōngfēng

万事皆备，只欠东风

[萬事皆備，只欠東風]

everything is ready, all we need is an east wind (idiom)
lacking only one tiny crucial item
also written 萬事俱備，只欠東風／万事俱备，只欠东风

wànshìjùbèi,zhǐqiàndōngfēng

万事俱备，只欠东风

[萬事俱備，只欠東風]

lit. everything is ready, all we need is an east wind (idiom)
fig. lacking only one tiny crucial item

zhǐzhīqíyī,bùzhīqí'èr

只知其一，不知其二

[只知其一，不知其二]

to know the first, but not know the second (idiom); only partial information

kěcāxiěkěbiānchéngzhīdúcúnchǔqì

可擦写可编程只读存储器

[可擦寫可編程只讀存儲器]

EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory)

tiānxiàwúnánshì,zhǐpàyǒuxīnrén

天下无难事，只怕有心人

[天下無難事，只怕有心人]

lit. there is nothing the determined person can't accomplish (idiom)
fig. persistence will overcome

bùpàbùshíhuò,zhǐpàhuòbǐhuò

不怕不识货，只怕货比货

[不怕不識貨，只怕貨比貨]

lit. don't worry about not knowing goods, but about comparing them (proverb)
fig. goods' (or person's) true value can only be determined through comparison

shìshàngwúnánshì,zhǐpàyǒuxīnrén

世上无难事，只怕有心人

[世上無難事，只怕有心人]

see 天下無難事，只怕有心人／天下无难事，只怕有心人 (tiānxiàwúnánshì,zhǐpàyǒuxīnrén)

zhǐyàogōngfushēn,tiěchǔmóchéngzhēn

只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针

[只要功夫深，鐵杵磨成針]

If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle.
cf idiom 磨杵成針／磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task
to study diligently

zhǐxǔzhōuguānfànghuǒ,bùxǔbǎixìngdiǎndēng

只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯

[只許州官放火，不許百姓點燈]

only the official is allowed to light the fire
Gods may do what cattle may not
quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi