► 副詞
未だ [(1)まだ] meaning: only rank: 1
☆ 彼女はお産をしてから未だ一週間しか経っていないのにもう仕事に復帰している ⇨ It has been only a week since she delivered a baby and she is already back at work (☛ “Only”, in terms of time)
高が [(2)たかが] meaning: only rank: 3
☆ 高が世界100位くらいでそんなに威張るな ⇨ Don’t be so arrogant when you are only 100th in the world ranking (☛ Disdainful “only”)
高々 [(2)たかだか] meaning: only rank: 4
☆ 高々世界二百位くらいでそんなに威張るな ⇨ Don’t brag so much when you are only 200th in the world (☛ Disdainful “only”)
偏に [(2)ひとえに] [liter] meaning: only rank: 4
☆ これも偏にあなたの御陰です ⇨ This is all thanks to you, only you
► 副助詞
しか [しか] [しかない] meaning: only rank: 1
☆ こうなったらやるしかない ⇨ Under this circumstance we have no other choice but to go ahead
☆ 今となっては諦めるしかない ⇨ At this point there is no other way than giving it up
☆ 彼等の要求を飲むしかない ⇨ There is no other choice than to accept their demand
☆ 締切まであと三日しかない ⇨ There are only three days left before the deadline
しか [しか] [しか～ない] meaning: only rank: 1
☆ この車はハイオクしか使えない ⇨ You can only use high-octane gas on this car
☆ これが出来るのは彼しかいない ⇨ He is the only person who can do this
☆ フランス語は少ししか話せない ⇨ I speak French only just a little bit
☆ 今手元にはこれしか残っていない ⇨ Only this much is left on me now. This is all I have.
☆ 彼はほんの子供にしか見えない ⇨ He looks like only a child
☆ 彼は文句しか言わない ⇨ Only thing he does is complain
☆ 彼女は自分に都合の良いことしかしない ⇨ She only does what is convenient for her
☆ 彼女は酒は少ししか飲まない ⇨ She drinks alcohol only a little
☆ 残り時間は十分しか無い ⇨ There are only five minutes left
だけ [(2)だけ] meaning: only rank: 1
☆ A: 彼は有名なゴルフ選手なの？ B:いや、小さな大会で一回優勝したことがあるだけだよ ⇨ A: Is he a famous golfer? B: No, he just won once in a small tournament, that’s all
☆ これだけは絶対に譲れない ⇨ This is the last thing I would ever give up. This is the hill I will die on
☆ そんなことを言ったら彼を余計怒らせるだけだ ⇨ If you say something like that, it will only make him even angrier
☆ もう一度だけ試してみる ⇨ I will try just one more time
☆ 二人だけにしてくれる？ ⇨ Will you leave us two alone?
☆ 口で言うだけなら誰でも出来る ⇨ If it only takes talking, anybody can do it. Anybody can just talk
ばかり [(1)ばかり] meaning: only rank: 1
☆ うちの息子はゲームばかりしている ⇨ My son only plays games, plays games all day every day
☆ こればかりは絶対に譲れない ⇨ This, I cannot give in no matter what.
☆ そればかりはどうしても無理だ ⇨ That, only that, is impossible no matter what
☆ 日本の教育は理由は考えさせず、暗記させるばかりだ ⇨ The Japanese education doesn’t make students think about logics, but only makes them memorize things
☆ 肉ばかり食べずに野菜も食べなさい ⇨ Don’t eat just meat. Eat vegetables too
☆ 迷子の子は泣くばかりでどうしようもなかった ⇨ The lost child just kept crying and there was nothing you could do
ばっかり [(3)ばっかり] [coll] meaning: only rank: 1
☆ 彼は口ばっかりだ ⇨ He is mouth only. He is only talk and no action
☆ あいつは文句ばっかりだ ⇨ He only complains (☛ A colloquial, a little more emphatic form of ばかり)
きり [(2)きり] [coll] meaning: only rank: 2
☆ こんな機会は一回きりしかない ⇨ There will be only one opportunity like this (☛ Always used to limit something to a small number (less than 10))
☆ やっと二人(っ)きりになれたね ⇨ Finally it is only two of us. Finally we are alone (☛ Only used to limit to one or two people)
☆ 家には一人きりになれる所が無い ⇨ There is nowhere in the house that I can be completely alone (☛ Only used to limit to one or two people)
のみ [(1)のみ] [liter] meaning: only rank: 2
☆ こうなったら突撃するのみだ ⇨ At this point we have no other option but charge and attack
☆ 入場出来るのは許可された者のみだ ⇨ Only those who are authorized can enter
☆ 特権階級のみが利益を享受している ⇨ Only the privileged are enjoying the benefits
きゃ [きゃ] [しか] [coll] [peer] meaning: only rank: 3
☆ 我慢してやるっきゃない ⇨ You have no choice but bite the bullet and do it (☛ After verbs only)
迄 [(1)まで] [liter] meaning: only rank: 3
☆ 尋ねられたから意見したまでだ ⇨ I commented only because I was asked to (☛ Always used as “I did something only because …”)
► 動詞
尽きる [(2)つきる] [～の一言に尽きる] [liter] meaning: only rank: 2
☆ 彼はバカの一言に尽きる ⇨ The only word to describe him is “fool” (☛ The only and the best option)
► 名詞
唯一 [(1)ゆいいつ] meaning: only rank: 2
☆ それが残された唯一の望みだ ⇨ That’s the sole remaining hope (☛ Only one. Sole)
☆ 彼は釣りが唯一の趣味だ ⇨ Fishing is his one and only hobby (☛ Only one. Sole)
一辺倒 [(3)いっぺんとう] meaning: only rank: 4
☆ 僕は昔はビール一辺倒だったが最近はワインも飲む ⇨ I used to drink beer only, but nowadays drink wine too (☛ Do, use, consume, etc. something exclusively)
一本槍 [(3)いっぽんやり] meaning: only rank: 4
☆ 彼等は攻撃一本槍で守備をしない ⇨ They are offense only and don’t play defense (☛ Literally “one spear”. Aggressively do only one thing)
► 接尾辞
ぽっち [(1)ぽっち] [これっぽっち] [coll] [peer] meaning: only rank: 3
☆ これっぽっちの金ではとても足りない ⇨ Only this much money is not even close to being enough (☛ Disdainful “only”)
ぽっち [(1)ぽっち] [それっぽっち] [coll] [peer] meaning: only rank: 3
☆ それっぽっちのことで文句を言うな ⇨ Don’t complain about such a tiny issue (☛ Disdainful “only”)