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March 24, 2026
唯wéi(wei2)
The character 唯 (wéi) primarily signifies 'only' or 'sole', indicating exclusivity or uniqueness. It often appears in philosophical or formal contexts, such as in the term '唯物主义' (materialism), where it denotes a specific ideology or belief system. The nuance also extends to affirmations, akin to saying 'yes' or 'indeed'.
Strokes11Radical口Frequency#2029DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese philosophy, the term 唯 often relates to distinct schools of thought, such as 唯心主义 (idealism) and 唯物主义 (materialism), reflecting the importance of philosophical discourse in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wise owl (sounds like 'wéi') standing alone on a branch, declaring, 'I am the only one here!' The character 唯 resembles a small creature (a bird) perched alone, emphasizing its meaning of exclusivity.
Meanings of 唯
wéi(wei2)
primary
1-ism
2only
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 唯
唯Simplified
11Strokes
口Radical
区别词distinguishing word (dist.)Part of Speech
#2029Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 唯
Podcast: 唯
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AI Study Notes for 唯
Quick Contrast
唯一 (wéi yī) - use 唯 when emphasizing exclusivity without the numerical implication of 'one'.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a wise owl (sounds like 'wéi') standing alone on a branch, declaring, 'I am the only one here!' The character 唯 resembles a small creature (a bird) perched alone, emphasizing its meaning of exclusivity.
Usage Notes
Learners may confuse 唯 with other characters that imply 'only' or 'just', such as 只 (zhǐ). This character is more formal, so it is less common in casual conversation. Be careful with its tone; it should always be pronounced with the second tone (wéi).
HSK Study Tips
Although 唯 is not a part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to higher-level concepts found in HSK 5 and beyond, especially those involving philosophy and ideology. Students should focus on recognizing its use in compound terms related to beliefs or exclusivity.
Cultural Note
In Chinese philosophy, the term 唯 often relates to distinct schools of thought, such as 唯心主义 (idealism) and 唯物主义 (materialism), reflecting the importance of philosophical discourse in Chinese culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mispronounce 唯 as wèi instead of wéi. Additionally, they may confuse it with 只 (zhǐ), which is less formal and commonly used in daily speech to mean 'only'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 唯
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Grammar Patterns of 唯
唯 carries 5 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
The whole class is listening attentively — only he is sleeping.
Common Confusions with 唯
唯vs为
wéi
Similar pronunciation and shape but different meanings.
唯vs维
wéi
Similar pronunciation but different meanings and usages.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "-ism"?
or
Example Sentences for 唯 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我们之间唯一的差别就是肤色。
wǒ mén zhī jiān wéi yī de chà bié jiù shì fū sè。
The only difference between us is the colour of our skins.
2
我的猫古斯塔夫是我所有的一切——我唯一的伴侣。
wǒ de māo gǔ sī tǎ fū shì wǒ suǒ yǒu de yī qiē—— —— wǒ wéi yī de bàn。
My cat Gustaf was the only thing I had—the only company.
3
唯一的声响是冰层噼噼啪啪碎裂的声音。
wéi yī de shēng xiǎng shì bīng céng pī pī pā pā suì liè de shēng yīn。
The only sound was the crackle of breaking ice.
4
我认为取得成功唯一的共同要素是勤奋。
wǒ rèn wéi qǔ dé chéng gōng wéi yī de gòng tóng yào sù shì qín fèn。
I think the only common denominator of success is hard work.
5
墙上唯一的装饰是几支蜡烛和一面镜子。
qiáng shàng wéi yī de zhuāng shì shì jī zhī là zhú hé yī miàn jìng zǐ。
The only wall decorations are candles and a single mirror.
6
他们正用德语交谈，这是他们唯一的共同语言。
tā mén zhèng yòng dé yǔ jiāo tán， ， zhè shì tā mén wéi yī de gòng tóng yǔ。
They were conversing in German, their only common language.
7
我所得到的唯一食物就是这家人的残羹剩饭。
wǒ suǒ dé dào de wéi yī shí wù jiù shì zhè jiā rén de cán gēng shèng fàn。
The only food I ever got was the family's leftovers.
8
到目前为止他唯一的一次园艺经历非常令人满意。
dào mù qián wéi zhǐ tā wéi yī de yī cì yuán yì jīng lì fēi cháng líng rén mǎn yì。
His only experience of gardening so far proved immensely satisfying.
9
他的房子是我儿时唯一固定的家。
tā de fáng zǐ shì wǒ ér shí wéi yī gù dìng de jiā。
His house was the only settled home I had as a child.
10
他们在刚进门处的唯一一张空桌子边坐下。
tā mén zài gāng jìn mén chǔ de wéi yī yī zhāng kōng zhuō zǐ biān zuò xià。
They took the only free table, which was just inside the door.
Cultural Notes for 唯
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese philosophy, the term 唯 often relates to distinct schools of thought, such as 唯心主义 (idealism) and 唯物主义 (materialism), reflecting the importance of philosophical discourse in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 唯
Compounds2
嶉
蓶
Words Containing This Character19
唯wéi-ism
唯一wéiyīonly
唯物主义materialism, philosophical doctrine that physical matter is the whole of reality唯物主義
唯心主义philosophy of idealism, the doctrine that external reality is a product of consciousness唯心主義
辩证唯物主义dialectical materialism辯證唯物主義
唯物论the philosophy of materialism, doctrine that physical matter is the whole of reality唯物論
唯有only
唯独wéidúonly唯獨
唯心论philosophy of idealism, the doctrine that external reality is a product of consciousness唯心論
唯唯诺诺to be a yes-man唯唯諾諾
唯一性uniqueness
任人唯亲corrupt appointment任人唯親
唯恐天下不乱to wish for the whole world to be in chaos (idiom)唯恐天下不亂
任人唯贤to appoint people according to their merits (idiom); appointment on the basis of ability and integrity任人唯賢
唯恐lest
唯利是图self-seeking唯利是圖
唯命是从to follow obediently唯命是從
唯意志论voluntarism唯意志論
唯理论(philosophy) rationalism唯理論
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 唯 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 唯
While 唯 (wéi) means 'only' or 'alone,' 只是 (zhǐshì) translates to 'only' or 'merely' but often carries a more casual tone. 唯 is more formal and can imply a sense of exclusivity or importance, whereas 只是 is used in everyday conversation to downplay something.
Phrases that include 唯 include '唯有' (wéiyǒu), which means 'only' or 'just' in a context of limitation. Another example is '唯心主义' (wéixīn zhǔyì), which translates to 'idealism' in philosophy, showcasing its use in more abstract terms.
唯 (wéi) means 'only' or 'alone' in Chinese. It can also be used in various contexts to denote exclusivity or singularity. Additionally, it may appear in some compound words and expressions, often emphasizing uniqueness or a specific condition.
To use 唯 in a sentence, you can place it before the noun or phrase it modifies to indicate exclusivity. For example, you might say '我唯独喜欢这个' (Wǒ wéidú xǐhuān zhège), meaning 'I only like this one.' This structure emphasizes that no other options are considered.
Common phrases include 唯独 (wéi dú - only, solely) and 唯物主义 (wéi wù zhǔ yì - materialism).
While it is more formal, it can be used to emphasize exclusivity in discussions, especially in academic or philosophical contexts.
