三人しか来ない・
Placed after a quantity, this pattern means “only that many” or “only that much” and presents the amount as limited, insufficient, or lower than expected. The sentence must end in a negative form.
How the pattern works
The stated quantity acts as a limit: the sentence excludes any amount beyond it. Although the Japanese ending is negative, translate the whole pattern naturally as “only.” Whether the amount counts as small depends on the situation, so a large number can still be presented as insufficient when the goal is higher.
会議には十人必要でしたが、三人しか来ませんでした。
The meeting needed ten people, but only three came.
AnalyzeThe need for ten people makes three clearly insufficient.
修理には五万円かかるのに、今は一万円しかありません。
The repair will cost fifty thousand yen, but I only have ten thousand yen now.
AnalyzeThe available amount is restricted to ten thousand yen, well below the cost.
The same number, opposite evaluations
With the objective number unchanged, しか with a negative ending presents it as restrictively low, while も presents it as unexpectedly high. The expected amount determines the speaker’s view.
A limit, not a minimum
三時間しかない means that the available time is limited to three hours; it does not mean “at least three hours.” Think of the stated quantity as a restrictive ceiling in the current situation.
More examples
準備には一週間必要ですが、あと二日しかありません。
We need a week to prepare, but only two days remain.
Analyze予算は五万円必要でしたが、一万円しか用意できませんでした。
We needed a budget of fifty thousand yen, but we could only prepare ten thousand.
Analyze六人分のケーキを作るには卵が六個必要ですが、二個しかありません。
We need six eggs to make cake for six people, but we only have two.
Analyzeレポートは五ページ必要なのに、まだ二ページしか書けていません。
The report has to be five pages, but I have only managed to write two so far.
Analyze五人で使いたいのですが、この部屋には椅子を四脚しか置けません。
We want to use the room with five people, but it can only hold four chairs.
Analyze目標は一万人でしたが、参加者は六千人しか集まりませんでした。
The goal was ten thousand people, but only six thousand participants gathered.
Analyze