ばかり
also: ばっかり
Meanings
Attaches to nouns, verbs, and adjectives to express limitation: 'only X', 'nothing but X'. Often implies a sense of exclusivity or that the amount is small.
He eats nothing but sweets.
This shop has only expensive things.
Follows a quantity or time expression to mean 'about', 'approximately'. Often used with numbers or counters.
It takes about ten minutes to walk to the station.
Please fill the glass about halfway with water.
just (did something); have just
Follows the past tense (ta-form) of a verb to indicate an action has just been completed. Often used with ところ.
I just got home now.
I just bought this book and haven't read it yet.
as if to; about to; on the verge of
Follows the dictionary form or the negative auxiliary ぬ (ん) to mean 'as if to do', 'on the point of doing'. Often used in the pattern …とばかりに or …んばかりに. Literary or emphatic.
See also: 言わんばかり (いわんばかり)
She looked at me with a face as if she were about to burst into tears.
He left the room as if to say 'I've had enough'.
Used in the pattern …とばかり(に) to emphasize the manner or attitude of an action, often implying 'as if to say' or 'in a way that clearly shows'. Can be translated as 'emphatically', 'as much as to say'.
He nodded emphatically, as if to say 'of course'.
always; constantly; all the time
Attaches to verbs to indicate a habitual or continuous action, often with a negative connotation of doing nothing but that. Similar to 'always doing' or 'spending all one's time doing'.
He's always complaining.
Stop playing all the time and study.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉ばかり食べているto eat nothing but 〈物〉
He eats nothing but sweets.
- 〈数〉ばかりabout 〈数〉
I waited for about ten minutes.
- 〈動詞〉たばかりto have just done 〈動詞〉
I just arrived.
- 〈動詞〉とばかりにas if to (do 〈動詞〉)
He waved his hand as if to say 'go home now'.
- 〈動詞〉てばかりいるto do nothing but 〈動詞〉 all the time
He does nothing but play around.