Japanese word

ばかり

Pronunciation

Romajibakari

Meaning

  • particleonly

Example

猫は魚ばかり食べます。neko wa sakana ba ka ri ta be ma su

The cat eats only fish.

Illustration for ばかり (only)

More examples

彼は休日に寝てばかりいます。kare wa kyū jitsu ni ne te ba ka ri i ma su

He does nothing but sleep on his days off.

Core concept

It narrows the scope to a selected thing and leaves everything else outside that scope.

Common phrases

  • 果物ばかりkudamono ba ka ri

    only fruit

  • 遊んでばかりいるaso n de ba ka ri i ru

    do nothing but play

Similar words

だけdake: Restricts the statement to one person, thing, or action and leaves out others.
しかshika: Shows that nothing except one thing applies by using a negative predicate.

Definition in Japanese

特定のものだけを取り上げ、ほかのものを含めない意を表す。toku tei no mo no da ke o to ri a ge ho ka no mo no o fuku me na i i o arawa su

Word origin

ばかり (bakari) is linked to 計り (hakari, "measure"), a noun for a measured amount, and this history fits its limiting function.

Usage tips

  • The exclusive sense of ばかり (bakari) can imply an unbalanced pattern, such as choosing one kind of food again and again instead of a varied selection.

Word lists with this word