Grammar › Emphasis & Exclusivity
ばかりか — “not only… but even”
Adds a second, more surprising or extreme fact on top of the first
Plain form (or noun) + ばかりか states a fact and then tops it with something even more surprising or extreme — “not only X, but even Y.” It's close to のみならず but often carries a slightly more emotional, surprised tone.
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Plain form + ばかりか | 謝らないばかりか、逆に怒られた — Not only did he not apologize, he even got angry at me instead |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 彼は約束を破ったばかりか、謝りもしなかった。 | かれはやくそくをやぶったばかりか、あやまりもしなかった。 karehayakusokuwoyabuttabakarika、ayamarimoshinakatta。 | Not only did he break his promise, he didn't even apologize. |
| このアプリは便利なばかりか、無料で使える。 | このあぷりはべんりなばかりか、むりょうでつかえる。 konoapurihabenrinabakarika、muryoudetsukaeru。 | This app isn't just convenient — it's even free to use. |
| 雨が降らないばかりか、記録的な猛暑が続いている。 | あめがふらないばかりか、きろくてきなもうしょがつづいている。 amegafuranaibakarika、kirokutekinamoushogatsuzuiteiru。 | Not only is there no rain, a record-breaking heat wave is continuing too. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
ばかりか's second clause should feel like a step up in surprise or severity from the first — if the two facts are equally mundane, plain し (and, also) is the more natural connector.