Number + しか〜ない
Meanings
- only
- no more than
- as few as
- as little as
About this pattern
Explanation
X しか 〜ない is used to express that the given amount is all there is, with a sense of limitation or insufficiency. It emphasizes that the speaker cannot go beyond that amount; it often carries a nuance of constraint, disappointment, or inevitability. The object before しか is the limited quantity or number, and the verb phrase 〜ない completes the negative statement. This pattern is commonly used in everyday situations to talk about limited resources, small counts, or minimal opportunities.
Learn in context
Example sentences
We only have one cup of coffee.
Only five people attended.
This hairstyle costs only three thousand yen.
Today, there is only one person who has plenty of time.
This book has only one hundred pages.
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More N4 patterns
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View detailsWe/They/You all (plural forms); These/Those (plural demonstratives); Plural suffix for certain pronouns and demonstratives
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