Only / nothing but (只不过)

Structure 只不过 + downplayed fact （+ 罢了/而已）

只不过 (zhǐbúguò) plays something down to "merely…", "nothing but…": it minimizes or corrects an overstatement. 我只不过随口一说 = "I just said it offhand, that's all". This is the "merely" sense, distinct from the "but" sense of 不过 already seen at HSK 4 (这很好，不过有点贵 = "it's nice, but a bit pricey"). It almost always closes with 罢了 or 而已, which reinforce the "and that's it".

Examples

我wǒ只zhǐ不bù过guò随suí口kǒu一yī说shuō，你nǐ别bié当dàng真zhēn。
I just said it offhand, don't take it seriously.
这zhè只zhǐ不bù过guò是shì个gè开kāi始shǐ罢bà了le。
This is only a beginning, nothing more.
他tā只zhǐ不bù过guò比bǐ你nǐ大dà两liǎng岁suì而ér已yǐ。
He's merely two years older than you, that's all.
我wǒ只zhǐ不bù过guò想xiǎng确què认rèn一yī下xià而ér已yǐ。
I just wanted to double-check, that's all.

This point and the other 370, with audio on every example, inside Wanyu.

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