HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wéi
only
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wéi
alone
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wéi
yes
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wéi
only; sole
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wěi
-ism
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wěi
only
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wěi
alone
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wěi
yes
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
唯
wěi
only; sole
HSK 7, b, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #2029, Very Hard
wéi(wei2)wei
primary
T2
1-ism
2only
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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#2029DifficultyVery Hard
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
By ear
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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'.
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.
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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Knowing 唯 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
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'.
When to use 唯
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).
唯 or something close to it
唯一 (wéi yī) - use 唯 when emphasizing exclusivity without the numerical implication of 'one'.
What learners get wrong
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'.
Write 唯
唯
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Practice writing 唯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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.
Existentialism challenges traditional thought, emphasizing individual freedom and responsibility.
16
人道主义在灾难救援中起到了关键作用，关注人类的福祉。
Réndàozhǔyì zài zāinàn jiùyuán zhōng qǐ dào le guānjiàn zuòyòng, guānzhù rénlèi de fúzhǐ.
Humanitarianism plays a crucial role in disaster relief, focusing on human welfare.
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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
Words with 唯
What does 唯一 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.
It is pronounced with the second tone, wéi.
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