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Japanese Degree, Quantity & Limit
Only, even, nothing but, all you need is. These patterns set a limit or pick out an extreme, and English flattens distinctions Japanese keeps: だけ is a neutral limit where ばかり is a complaint, さえ picks the most surprising case, and のみ is simply だけ in writing.
8 grammar points
ばかり | Nothing But and Just in Japanese
Nothing but; only; just; about
さえ | Even in Japanese
Even; not even; let alone
さえ〜ば | If Only and All You Need Is in Japanese
If only; as long as; all you need to do is
ば〜ほど | The More, the More
The more ~, the more ~
も〜ば〜も | Both and As Well As in Japanese
Both ~ and ~; not only ~ but also
だけでなく | Not Only, But Also
Not only ~ but also ~
しか〜ない | Only, with a Negative
Only ~, nothing but ~ (and it isn't enough)
のみ | Only, Formal in Japanese
Only; nothing but; solely
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