Not Just... Also...: 〜ばかりか

Master the more formal and emphatic pattern 〜ばかりか for advanced comparison and expansion.

Recognize the formal written nuance of 〜ばかりか.Use the pattern to add a stronger-than-expected second point.Compare 〜ばかりか with the more neutral 〜だけでなく.

Guided study

Core meaning

〜ばかりか also means “not only A, but also B,” but it often feels more formal, written, or emphatic than 〜だけでなく. B may feel surprising, impressive, or stronger than expected.

彼は漢字を読めるばかりか、書くのも速い。

He can not only read kanji, but he is also fast at writing it.

B is presented as an additional strong point.

この町は静かなばかりか、交通の便もいい。

This town is not only quiet, but also convenient for transportation.

The second positive feature makes the description feel more emphatic.

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