只 · 一共 · 全
only · in total · all, entirely
Structure
主语 + 只 + 动词 · 一共 + 数量 · 主语 + 全 + 动词
What it means
只 means “only”, 一共 “in total”, 全 “all, every single one”. They limit or add up what you are talking about.
How it is built
只 and 全 go right before the verb: 我只喝茶 (I only drink tea), 同事们全来了 (All the colleagues are here). 一共 goes before the total: 一共五十块.
When to use it
一共 is for adding up prices and numbers, and often needs no verb. 全 is a stronger 都: no one is missing. 只 limits the action to one thing: 只喝茶，不喝咖啡.
Watch out
Don’t copy English “only tea”: 只 goes before the verb, not the noun. ✗ 我喝只茶。 ✓ 我只喝茶。
Examples
我只喝茶，不喝咖啡。
I only drink tea, not coffee.
这些菜一共一百二十块。
These dishes come to 120 kuai in total.
同事们全来了。
All the colleagues are here.
Learn this in HSK 2 · Lesson 3: 叫外卖 (Food delivery)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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