How to tell them apart
に限って limits something to X only, for a special time or case, as in 本日に限って無料. に限らず removes that limit and says not only X but also others, as in 年齢に限らず参加できる. So the direction is opposite: one narrows to X only, the other widens beyond X.
- に限って Use に限って to say something is allowed or true only for X as a special case.
- に限らず Use に限らず to say something applies not only to X but also broadly beyond it.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| に限って ni tte | only in that case; particularly when | N2 |
| に限らず ni razu | not restricted to; goes beyond | N2 |
に限って ni tte
only in that case; particularly when
に限って marks a narrow exception and means only on that occasion or especially when that situation holds, often with frustration at bad timing like a delay when in a hurry. It follows a noun, as in その日に限って, or a time clause with とき, as in 急いでいる時に限って. It appears inside the sentence before the main predicate and is common in both speech and writing.
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急いでいる時に限ってバスが遅れる。
Our bus comes late, particularly when we are in a hurry.
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その日に限って財布を家に忘れた。
I left my wallet at home on that particular day.
に限らず ni razu
not restricted to; goes beyond
に限らず expresses that something is not restricted to the stated item and applies more broadly to other cases. It attaches directly to a noun, as in 子どもに限らず or 休日に限らず, and is typically followed by a clause containing も to show inclusion. It sounds relatively formal and often appears in explanations or announcements where the speaker widens the scope beyond expectations.
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TOEICの学習に限らず、英語を学ぶのであれば英和辞典は必携の書の一つでしょう。
An English-Japanese dictionary is surely a must have book, not just for those taking TOEIC, but for all studying English.
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子どもに限らず、大人もこの映画を楽しめる。
Not just children, adults can enjoy this movie too.
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 on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.