Emphasis, criticism and nuance
～ばかりか
not only ... but also
AI-written, reviewed by AI (ChatGPT)
How to form it
- Verb/adjective (plain form) + ばかりか
- Noun + ばかりか
Register: Neutral to formal
Explanation
Adds a second, usually stronger or more surprising item after the first. The second part typically uses も.
Shows escalation: the second item goes even further than the first, which is why it is often used for surprising or extreme additions.
Examples
彼は英語ばかりか、フランス語も話せる。
かれはえいごばかりか、フランスごもはなせる。
He can speak not only English but French too.
雨が降ってきたばかりか、風も強くなってきた。
あめがふってきたばかりか、かぜもつよくなってきた。
Not only did it start to rain, but the wind also grew stronger.
この車は安いばかりか、燃費もいい。
このくるまはやすいばかりか、ねんぴもいい。
This car is not only cheap but also fuel-efficient.
Compare with
- ～に限らず: に限らず widens the scope in general; ばかりか adds a stronger extra item.
Common mistakes
- Ending with a request or a command. The second clause is a statement.