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Kotomora

唯

solely, only, merely, simply

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • ユイ
  • イ

Kun'yomi

  • ただ

Nanori

  • ゆ

Meaning

唯 centers on singling out one thing to the exclusion of others: solely, only, merely, or simply. It emphasizes that nothing else is involved.

Most common words using 唯

20 of 37
  • 唯一ゆいいつ
    N3

    only; sole; unique

  • 唯物ゆいぶつ

    materialism

  • 唯我独尊ゆいがどくそん

    throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the honored one

  • 唯々いい

    obedient; submissive; tame; slavish

  • 唯識ゆいしき

    vijnapti-matrata (theory that all existence is subjective and nothing exists outside of the mind)

  • 唯物論ゆいぶつろん

    materialism

  • 史上唯一しじょうゆいいつ

    the first in history; only once in history

  • 史的唯物論してきゆいぶつろん

    historical materialism

  • 吾唯足知われただたるをしる

    I am content with what I am (have); rich is the person who is content with what he is

  • 唯々諾々いいだくだく

    obedient; submissive; tame; slavish

  • 唯々諾々としていいだくだくとして

    obediently; submissively; readily; slavishly; without protest

  • 唯さえたださえ

    even at the best of times; already; (even) under normal circumstances; in addition to; as it is

  • 唯でさえただでさえ

    even at the best of times; already; (even) under normal circumstances; in addition to; as it is

  • 唯にただに

    merely; only; simply

  • 唯一不二ゆいいつふじ

    one and only; unique

  • 唯一無二ゆいいつむに

    one and only; unique

  • 唯一無比ゆいいつむひ

    one and only; unique

  • 唯一神ゆいいつしん

    God (in monotheism)

  • 唯一神教ゆいいつしんきょう

    monotheism

  • 唯名論ゆいめいろん

    nominalism

Explore all words using 唯 →

Study

Etymology

唯 combines 口 (mouth) with 隹, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally expressed a responsive or affirmative utterance, later extending to the idea of singling out or exclusivity.

Meaning mnemonic

A mouth 口 beside a short-tailed bird 隹: imagine a bird that can only chirp one note, solely that sound and nothing else.

Reading mnemonic

For ユイ, picture a unique bird that sings only one note: unique -> ユイ, and that sole note is all you hear.