The structure with the meaning "just...that’s all"
can be used to say "just...that’s all". For example: "It’s just a rumor, that’s all". 而已 should be used in one of the following structures. These structures are used to explain or find an excuse to something that is said earlier. They sometimes emphasize that a situation is not as serious as it seems to be.
Pay attention
A subject is placed before the structure. A verb or a verb phrase replaces the ellipsis.
Examples
无非是不同的方法而已
It is just another method, that’s all
wúfēi shì bùtóng de fāngfǎ éryǐ
不用紧张,他们不过问些问题而已
Don’t worry, they will just ask a few questions, that’s all
búyòng jǐnzhāng, tāmen búguò wèn xiē wèntí éryǐ
我没什么意思, 真的只是问问而已
I really didn’t mean anything. I just asked, that’s all
wǒ méi shénme yìsi, zhēnde zhǐshì wènwen éryǐ
就是一个吻而已,没有什么特别的意思
It was just a kiss, that’s all. It didn’t mean anything
jiùshì yí ge wěn éryǐ, méi yǒu shénme tèbié
In this structure, 而已 can be replaced with .
Examples
只不过是小狗罢了,没有什么可怕的
It is just a puppy, it’s no big deal
zhǐ búguò shì xiǎo gǒu bàle, méi yǒu shénme kěpà de
无非骂了他几句罢了
I just scolded him a little, nothing more
wǒ wúfēi mà le tā jǐ jù bàle
In the 只是…而已 or 只是…罢了 structures, a noun or a noun phrase can replace the ellipsis.
Examples
只是好奇罢了,他不懂汉语
It’s just curiosity, that’s all. He doesn’t understand Chinese
zhè zhǐshì hàoqí bàle, tā bù dǒng hànyǔ
只是虚想而已
It is just imagination, nothing more
zhè zhǐshì xūxiǎng éryǐ
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