Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
に限って singles out X as the special or exceptional case, often with a sense of disbelief or strong expectation, while に限らず expands beyond X to say the statement applies broadly, not just to X. The core test is direction: に限って narrows in on one target (うちの子供に限って), whereas に限らず widens outward (何事に限らず). Swapping them flips the meaning entirely — saying うちの子供に限らず would mean not just our child, the opposite of the intended exclusivity.
- に限って Use に限って when you want to single out X as the exceptional or special case among others.
- に限らず Use に限らず when you want to say something applies not only to X but broadly beyond it.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| に限って ni tte | Only/Particularly | N2 |
| に限らず ni razu | Not limited to | N2 |
に限って ni tte
Only/Particularly
(X) of all (X's); only | A compound particle to show that only X is different from others.
-
うちの子供に限ってそんなひどいことはしませんよ。
Our child, of all children, would not do such a terrible thing.
-
この小説家の書いたものに限って、つまらないものはない。
Of all the works written by this novelist, none of them are boring.
に限らず ni razu
Not limited to
Not limited to ~ (but also); not only ~ (but also) | Not limiting something to ~.
-
何事に限らず仕事は誠意をもって行うことが大切だ。
Whatever you do, it is important to do it with sincerity.
-
果物は何に限らず好きです。
I like any kind of fruit.
に限って and に限らず are both JLPT N2 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.