ばかり (bakari)
Merely, exclusively, or used in ばかりでなく/ばかりか to mean 'not just... but also'
Meaning & usage
ばかり marks something as the only thing involved, with a nuance of too much of one thing or repeated action, often showing disapproval. It follows a noun as in トマトばかり, or the te-form of a verb as in 遊んでばかりいる, and is common with いる to stress a bad habit. In the patterns ばかりでなく and ばかりか it means not only but also, and it can follow a noun, a verb in plain form, or an adjective, as in 医師であるばかりでなく.
Example sentences 7
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人生は面白おかしい事ばかりではない。
Life is not all beer and skittles.
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その教師は生徒のあら探しばかりしている。
The teacher is always finding fault with his students.
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彼は医師であるばかりでなくピアノの名人だった。
In addition to being a physician, he was a master pianist.
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うちの息子は遊んでばかりいる。
My son is just idling.
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トマトばかり食べるのはもういやだ。
I've had enough of eating just tomatoes.
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彼はいつもあたしのあら探しをしてばかりいた。
He was always finding fault with me.
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彼女は母親の後を追いかけてばかりいる。
She is always running after her mother.
In past JLPT papers
This came up in 20 past exam questions.
And 16 more tests.
