▎只不過…(而已), (zhĭ búguò...(éryĭ)), merely...; nothing more than...

 

Function This pattern consists of three elements: the adverb 只, the adverb 不過, and the sentence particle 而已. They are near synonyms, meaning ‘only, merely.’ Thus, this pattern is an instance of 3-way reinforcement and means ’merely, just’. 而已 can be omitted.

1 有些人認為，吳寶春只不過國中畢業而已，怎麼有能力念企管研究所呢？

Yǒuxiē rén rènwéi, Wú Bǎochūn zhǐ búguò guózhōng bìyè éryǐ, zěnme yǒu nénglì niàn qìguǎn yánjiūsuǒ ne?

Wu Baochun only graduated from junior high school. Some people think, ‘How is he capable of studying in an MBA program?’

2 他只不過上烹飪課的時候做過一次蘿蔔糕而已，就到處告訴別人他做得多美味。

Tā zhǐ búguò shàng pēngrèn kè de shíhòu zuòguò yí cì luóbogāo éryǐ, jiù dàochù gàosù biérén tā zuò de duō měiwèi.

He merely made some daikon cakes once in a cooking class. Now, he goes around telling people how well he cooks.

3 他只不過說說而已，你難道認為他真的會辭掉工作？

Tā zhǐ búguò shuōshuō éryǐ, nǐ nándào rènwéi tā zhēn de huì cídiào gōngzuò?

He’s was just talking (he didn’t mean it). Did you actually think he really wants to quit his job?

4 只不過下了幾天的雨，衣服就全都發霉了。

Zhǐ búguò xiàle jǐ tiān de yǔ, yīfú jiù quán dōu fāméi le.

It merely rained a few days and the clothes are all mildewed.

5 這個學期你只不過選了三門課而已，怎麼就忙得連參加社團活動的時間都沒有了？

Zhè ge xuéqí nǐ zhǐ búguò xuǎnle sān mén kè éryǐ, zěnme jiù máng de lián cānjiā shètuán huódòng de shíjiān dōu méi yǒu le?

You’re only taking three classes this semester. How come you’re so busy that you don’t even have the time to take part in any school club activities?

 

Usage

A. Omission in multiple reinforcement is always possible in Chinese. In this pattern, the omission goes like this: ending with 而已 alone, 不過…而已, and finally 只不過…而已. The first two options are illustrated below.

(1) …而已

a. 他隨便說說而已，哪裡是真的想養狗？

Tā suíbiàn shuōshuō éryǐ, nǎlǐ shì zhēn de xiǎng yǎng gǒu?

He was just talking. He doesn’t actually want to have a dog.

b. 一個晚上沒睡好而已，就沒有精神上課了。

Yí ge wǎnshàng méi shuìhǎo éryǐ, jiù méi yǒu jīngshén shàngkè le.

You only had one bad night of sleep and you have no energy to go to class.

(2) 不過…而已

a. 不過18度而已，你怎麼就穿起羊毛外套來了？

Búguò shíbā dù éryǐ, nǐ zěnme jiù chuānqǐ yángmáo wàitào lái le?

It’s only 18 degrees. How come you’re wearing a wool coat?

b. 三號候選人不過是形象好而已，從政經驗其實並不多。

Sān hào hòuxuǎn rén búguò shì xíngxiàng hǎo éryǐ, cóngzhèng jīngyàn qíshí bìng bù duō.

Candidate number three merely has a good image. He doesn’t actually have much political experience.

B. 只不過 vs. 才

(1) If a sentence contains a number in the object position, either 只不過 or 才 can be used.

E.g.,

a. 雖然是百貨公司週年慶，可是商品只不過打八折而已。

Suīrán shì bǎihuò gōngsī zhōuniánqìng, kěshì shāngpǐn zhǐ búguò dǎ bā zhé éryǐ.

It’s the department store’s anniversary, but products are only 20% off.

b. 雖然是百貨公司週年慶，可是商品才打八折而已。

Suīrán shì bǎihuò gōngsī zhōuniánqìng, kěshì shāngpǐn cái dǎ bā zhé éryǐ.

It’s the department store’s anniversary, but products are only 20% off.

There is, however, a difference in attitude on the part of the speaker. Although 只不過 also stresses that the amount mentioned is small, it is more factual, while 才 further indicates that the quantity falls short of expectation. E.g., in example (1)a. above, although the speaker also thinks 20% off isn’t quite enough and is a little dissatisfied, the speaker’s attitude in (1)b. that the discount falls short of common expectation is very clear.

(2) Therefore, when you want to stress something has fallen short of common expectation, you can only really use 才. See examples a, b, c, and d below.

a. ＊你擺了一個早上的攤子，怎麼只不過賺了幾百塊錢？

＊Nǐ bǎile yí ge zǎoshang de tānzi, zěnme zhǐ búguò zhuànle jǐbǎi kuài qián?

b. 你擺了一個早上的攤子，怎麼才賺了幾百塊錢？

Nǐ bǎile yí ge zǎoshang de tānzi, zěnme cái zhuànle jǐbǎi kuài qián?

You’ve had your stall set up all morning; how come you’ve only made a few hundred dollars?

Most people feel that when you have had a stall up for hours, you should have made much more than a few hundred NT dollars, therefore, you can only use 才. You can’t use 只不過.

c. ＊念醫學系只不過三年就畢業了？怎麼可能？

＊Niàn yīxué xì zhǐ búguò sān nián jiù bìyè le? Zěnme kěnéng?

d. 念醫學系才三年就畢業了？怎麼可能？

Niàn yīxué xì cái sān nián jiù bìyè le? Zěnme kěnéng?

(He) graduated from medical school in just three years? How is that possible?

(3) If, however, 只不過 is followed by something other than an amount, then 只不過 cannot be substituted with 才. E.g.,

a. 我只不過開開玩笑而已，你怎麼就生氣了？

Wǒ zhǐ búguò kāikāi wánxiào éryǐ, nǐ zěnme jiù shēngqì le?

I was just joking. How come you’re angry.

b. ＊我才開開玩笑而已，你怎麼就生氣了？

＊Wǒ cái kāikāi wánxiào éryǐ, nǐ zěnme jiù shēngqì le?