JLPT N2 reference · Complex syntax
ばかりか
It adds a surprising second fact beyond the first: “not only … but also.”
Core meaning and form
Attach ばかりか to a noun or plain clause, often followed by も or まで in the added clause. It is more formal and emphatic than だけでなく.
- Form: Attach ばかりか to a noun or plain clause, often followed by も or まで in the added clause.
- Core use: It adds a surprising second fact beyond the first: “not only … but also.”
- Context: It is more formal and emphatic than だけでなく.
Examples in context
彼は日本語ばかりか、中国語も話せる。Kare wa Nihongo bakari ka, Chūgokugo mo hanaseru.He speaks not only Japanese but also Chinese.
雨ばかりか、雪まで降ってきた。Ame bakari ka, yuki made futte kita.Not only rain but even snow began to fall.
謝らないばかりか、責任を否定した。Ayamaranai bakari ka, sekinin o hitei shita.He not only failed to apologize but denied responsibility.
Common errors
- Do not select this pattern from an English translation alone; check its attachment and discourse function.
- Keep the surrounding sentence in a consistent plain, polite, spoken, or written register.
Quick summary
- Attach ばかりか to a noun or plain clause, often followed by も or まで in the added clause.
- It adds a surprising second fact beyond the first: “not only … but also.”
- It is more formal and emphatic than だけでなく.