限りas long as; as far as; as much as
限り is a limit, and the words before it say where the limit lies: as long as this lasts, as far as I know, as much as I can. After a word of feeling, 限りだ says the feeling could go no further.
as long as
The match cannot resume as long as it is raining.
as far as I know
As far as I know, there are no twenty-four-hour pharmacies in this town.
as much as possible
I will deal with it as quickly as I possibly can.
How to form it
Plain form + 限り
For "as long as", a noun takes である: 学生である限り. A な-adjective keeps な or takes である: 可能な限り, 健康である限り.
Which 限り is it?
| Before and after 限り | It means | Like this |
|---|---|---|
| Something that lasts + 限り（は） | As long as, while | 私が |
| ない + 限り（は） | Unless | 謝らない |
| 知っている, 見た, 調べた + 限り（では） | As far as I know; from what I saw | 私の |
| できる, 可能な + 限り | As much as possible | できる |
| A feeling + 限りだ, ending the sentence | I couldn't be more … | うれしい |
| A day or a number + 限り, nothing between | … only | 本日限り today only. 一回限り one time only |
After に or を it is something else again.
に限り・に限ってN2
"Only for", in offers and rules. に限って is also "of all times" and "of all people".
Only the first fifty people will receive a commemorative gift.
に限るN3
"Nothing beats": a verdict on what is best. On a notice, に限ります means "limited to".
In summer, nothing beats a beer.
を限りにN1
After a date: the last time, where something ends.
This will be the last year I send New Year's cards.
As long as
The second half holds for as long as the first stays true, so the first is something that lasts. は is optional.
As long as I live in this town, I'll need a car.
I want to keep working as long as I stay healthy.
After a negative it is "unless": the rest stands until that happens.
The photograph must not be made public unless the person concerned agrees.
"As long as you finish first" is たら
English "as long as" also means "provided that" about a single step. That one is たら, ば or さえ～ば.
You can't go out to play unless your homework is done.
"Not done" lasts until it is done, so 限り fits.
Not said: 宿題が
(You can go out to play as long as your homework gets done.)
Getting it done is one step: 宿題が終わったら, or 宿題さえ終われば.
In conversation
People say 限り out loud when they are being firm: a promise, a rule, a warning. With less weight, "while" is うちは or 間は, and "unless" is ないと.
The match won't start while it's still raining.
I won't forgive you if you don't say sorry properly.
As far as I know
Before it, how you know: 知っている, 見た, 聞いた, 調べた, 覚えている. It keeps a claim inside what you have seen or checked. では can drop, as it does in the set phrase 私の知る限り.
As far as I could find out, this grant doesn't seem to have an age limit.
As far as I can tell from rereading the email, it says nothing about a change to the deadline.
As far as I know, he has never told a lie.
This one is said out loud as it is. Among friends, what you saw is also 見た感じ.
From the look of it, nothing seems to be broken.
As much as possible
Before it, what is possible: できる, 可能な, or a verb such as 思いつく, to think of. The rest of the sentence goes right up to that limit. With の it describes a noun.
With the time I had left, I prepared as well as I could.
I wrote down every idea I could think of in my notebook.
Fields stretched as far as the eye could see.
A set phrase.
The everyday word is できるだけ. できる限り is a step more formal, and 可能な限り is office writing.
Please come as soon as you can.
限りだ: I couldn't be more …
It closes a sentence about your own feeling and says the feeling could go no further: うれしい, ありがたい, うらやましい, 恥ずかしい, 残念な. It goes with a feeling, not a plain description: a price can't be 高い限りだ.
It is such a pity that the library, loved for so many years, is to close.
It is so reassuring to see younger people taking over the community's work.
It is formal: speeches, thank-you letters, interviews and polite compliments, mostly as 限りです. With friends it is 本当に or すごく.
I couldn't be happier that you all enjoyed it.
Closing a speech.
I'm really glad everyone enjoyed it.
Telling a friend.
本日限り: today only
Straight after a day or a number, with no particle, 限り is the "only" of sale signs and coupons. Out loud that is だけ: 今日だけ, 一回だけ.
This coupon can be used one time only.
Close neighbours
さえ～ばN3
"Provided that": this one thing is enough.
As long as I know the address, I can find it on the map.
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
説明書を
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which sounds natural?
Choose an answer to see why.
3Which sounds natural?
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
The same verb, two meanings
What follows 限り decides.
As far as I remember, this river was shallower when I was a child.
では, then a statement: as far as I remember.
I wrote down on the list every name I could remember.
の, then a noun: every one I remember.
力の限り, 声の限り
After a noun and の, a few set phrases mean "with all your …". They belong to stories and sports reports. Out loud people say 力いっぱい or 大声で.
The crowd cheered the athletes on at the top of their voices.
By itself 限り is the noun "limit": 時間には限りがある, time is limited.
More sentences
as long as
As long as I am a member of this team, I will support it to the end.
unless
Unless circumstances change, we will stick to this policy.
unless
Please avoid strenuous exercise unless your symptoms improve.
as far as
From what the person in charge told me, the results are due to be announced on Friday.
as far as
Going by the radar, heavy rain tonight seems unlikely.
as much as possible
The city lights stretched as far as I could see from the rooftop.
feeling
When I think of how thoughtless I was, I am deeply ashamed.
feeling
It is so encouraging that many people have come to the ceremony from overseas as well.