Grammar · Chapter 37
只有…才… and 只要…就…: conditions
只有 A，才 B · 只要 A，就 B
只要 A，就 B means “just A, and B follows”: A is enough. 只有 A，才 B means “only if A, and only then B”: there is no other way. 只有你来，我才去: no you, no me; 只要你来，我就去: you come, I go.
Examples
- 只有你来，我才去。 Zhǐyǒu nǐ lái, wǒ cái qù. I'll go only if you come.
- 只要你来，我就去。 Zhǐyào nǐ lái, wǒ jiù qù. As long as you come, I'll go.
- 只要有水，我就能活。 Zhǐyào yǒu shuǐ, wǒ jiù néng huó. As long as there is water, I can live.