Only … can / it is only by (唯有…方)

Structure 唯有 + sole condition，方/才 + result

唯有…方… (wéiyǒu… fāng…) marks the ONLY possible way: "only… can…", "it is only by… that…". 唯有 (wéiyǒu) heads the exclusive condition and the literary closer 方 (fāng) equals the ordinary 才 here: 唯有自强，方能立足 = "only by making oneself strong can one hold one's ground". It is the literary, emphatic variant of 只有…才… (HSK 3): the same necessary-condition value, but in the register of essay, speech or aphorism. It can also close with 才 while keeping the cultured tone 唯有 lends.

Examples

唯wéi有yǒu自zì强qiáng，方fāng能néng立lì足zú。
Only by making oneself strong can one hold one's ground.
唯wéi有yǒu脚jiǎo踏tà实shí地dì，方fāng可kě成chéng事shì。
It is only by keeping one's feet on the ground that one gets things done.
唯wéi有yǒu坚jiān持chí到dào底dǐ，才cái能néng见jiàn到dào成chéng果guǒ。
Only by persevering to the end can one see results.
唯wéi有yǒu亲qīn身shēn经jīng历lì，方fāng知zhī其qí中zhōng甘gān苦kǔ。
Only by living it firsthand does one know its joys and hardships.

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