Definition
岂止 is an adverb-like fixed phrase used in rhetorical questions to mean 'not only...' or 'far from...', emphasizing that the actual situation goes beyond a stated limit. It typically appears in the pattern Subject + 岂止 + (是) + ... + 呢? For example: 岂止这些？('It's not just these, is it?') It is often interchangeable with 何止 in rhetorical contexts. Note that 岂止 is NOT a verb despite the POS label; it functions as an adverb or phrase.
v
not onlyfar frommore than
Examples
- 岂止，！qǐ zhǐ zhèxiē, hái yǒu gèng duō ne!It's not just these — there are even more!
- 岂止，。Wǒ qǐ zhǐ shì gāoxìng, jiǎnzhí shì jīdòng.I wasn't just happy — I was absolutely thrilled.
- 岂止，。Tā qǐ zhǐ huì Zhōngwén, hái huì Rìyǔ hé Yīngyǔ.He not only knows Chinese, but also Japanese and English.
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