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Only A (A is a special condition)

  1. Only A (A is a special condition)
  2. Shows unfortunate action B right at the time/situation A
    Carries the nuance of "Just at the time A, something terrible/undesirable happens." Similar to "Of all the luck, ...", or "Just at the worst possible time, ..."
  3. Because of trust/confidence/belief in A, B
    The clause B is usually a statement that the speaker strongly believes in. Often rejects a negative action (He/she would never do such a thing).
Join for free or Login to study this and other grammar in the lesson Noun Suffixes - に (7)!
好
26点
先 着 １００ 名 に 限 り 、 サービス 券 を 差 し 上 げ ま す 。 
The first 100 people will receive a coupon.
好
19点
この 魚 は 本 日 に 限 り 、 一 匹 五 十 円 だ 。 
These fish are 50 yen each, but only for today.
好
12点
子 供 に 限 り サンタクロース を 見 る こと が できます 。 
Only children are able to see Santa Claus.
好
10点
「 飲 み 物 は 無 料 です か 。 」 「 ご 婦 人 に 限 っ て です 。 」 
Are drinks free? Only for women.

Getting the sentences
These user sentences have been verified by a native speaker.

avatar
emmy
Level: 3
(10 years ago)
小指に限って、骨折したことがある。
I've only ever broken my pinky (toe/finger).
0
5
Loading user sentences...

Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
に
限って
ANoun
に
限り
Where this grammar is found
新完全マスター文法 N2: 05課・～だけ
Nihongo So-Matome N2 (日本語総まとめ）: 第２週　３日目
Nihongo So-Matome N1 (日本語総まとめ): 第３週　２日目
JLPT N2 / Advanced: Noun Suffixes - に ⑦


User notes
好
0点

along with the other two example posts when the ない form of a verb is placed after に限って there is a slight change in meaning. This form comes to have the meaning of disbelief. An example would be まさか、彼女に限ってアメリカ人になるなんてことはないだろう。This has the meaning of "I cannot believe that she would become an American (She is the last person I think would become an American.)" or "She is the only person I don't think would become an American."
5 years ago
avatar shirokitsune - Level 779
好
5点
I agree with berndbausch and suggest splitting this page to cover the other meanings, according to Shin Kanzen master:


#1
A:Adj.naな・である限り(は), B
　　Nである限り(は), B

Only while A (is continously occuring), B
Clause B cannot be in past tense.

#2
A:Nの限りでは
　V.inf/V.teいる/V.past限りでは

Based on just A, conclusion B follows; As far as A, B is concluded.
Commonly paried with 見る・聞く・覚えている・知っている・調査, and takes the form of advice

#3, this use has 3 suggested meanings, based on context
A: Nに限りって, B
1. A has happened, out of regularity
2. By chance, a negative thing A has occured
3. Because I believe in A, I don't expect bad stuff B will happen

3.1 and 3.2's uses are usually paired with a day or time, e.g. 今日に限りって・その日に限りって・ている時に
8 years ago
avatar クロウ - Level 5
好
3点
According to the book I am using, 完全マスター, ”に限って” is rather subtle and complex. It can have undertones like "exceptionally", "right at this important moment, this bad thing had to happen" or, as exemplified in the sentence "うちの子に限って", may express full trust in something or someone.

Also, に限り is rather formal, whereas に限って is used in everyday language.

Best to split the entry in two?
9 years ago
berndbausch - Level 1
 
Shows unfortunate action B right at the time/situation A
Carries the nuance of "Just at the time A, something terrible/undesirable happens." Similar to "Of all the luck, ...", or "Just at the worst possible time, ..."

  1. Only A (A is a special condition)
  2. Shows unfortunate action B right at the time/situation A
    Carries the nuance of "Just at the time A, something terrible/undesirable happens." Similar to "Of all the luck, ...", or "Just at the worst possible time, ..."
  3. Because of trust/confidence/belief in A, B
    The clause B is usually a statement that the speaker strongly believes in. Often rejects a negative action (He/she would never do such a thing).
好
9点
その 日 に 限 っ て 彼 は 欠 席 だった 。 
He was absent only on that day.
好
1点
お 洒落 す る 日 に 限 っ て 雨 が 降 る 。 
It just has to rain on the day I dress up.
好
1点
早 く 起 き る 日 に 限 っ て 何 も 予 定 が ありません 。 
Just like it for me to wake up early on a day that I don't have anything planned.
好
1点
忙 し い 時 に 限 っ て 友 達 から 連 絡 が 来 る 。 
Of all the luck to hear from a friend when I'm busy.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
ANoun
に限って
BClause
Basic Examples:
食べようとする時に限って急場がある (an emergency happens just when I'm about to eat)

Where this grammar is found
JLPT N2 / Advanced: Sentence Starters


User notes
No user notes have been added. Logged-in users can add user notes.
 
Because of trust/confidence/belief in A, B
The clause B is usually a statement that the speaker strongly believes in. Often rejects a negative action (He/she would never do such a thing).

  1. Only A (A is a special condition)
  2. Shows unfortunate action B right at the time/situation A
    Carries the nuance of "Just at the time A, something terrible/undesirable happens." Similar to "Of all the luck, ...", or "Just at the worst possible time, ..."
  3. Because of trust/confidence/belief in A, B
    The clause B is usually a statement that the speaker strongly believes in. Often rejects a negative action (He/she would never do such a thing).
好
1点
この メーカー に 限 っ て こんな ダサい 服 は 作 ら な い よ 。 
This maker would never make such unfashionable clothes.
好
0点
あの 生 徒 に 限 っ て カンニング を する わけがない 。 
There's no way that student would cheat.
好
1点
うちの 子 に 限 っ て 嘘 を つ く はず が ありません 。 
It couldn't be true that my child would lie.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
APerson
に限って
BClause
Basic Examples:
あの人に限って成功する (that person will definitely succeed)



User notes
No user notes have been added. Logged-in users can add user notes.

Discussion about this grammar
avatar
|マルコ|
Years Studied: ？？？
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
Level: 110, 好 : 343

にかぎって on top of this page is written twice

好
0点
6 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,622

Fixed, thanks!

好
0点
6 years ago
avatar
Karlla
Years Studied: Many on and off
Studying: N2
Level: 654, 好 : 2,868

I was just watching a grammar lesson on youtube. According to them, にかぎって has a somewhat different meaning. Apparently it is often used with a negative context, as mentioned in the user note from berndbausch 7 years ago. Isn't that worth splitting this entry into two sections?

好
2点
2 years ago
avatar
|マルコ|
Years Studied: ？？？
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
Level: 110, 好 : 343

I agree with Karlla, にかぎり are にかぎって are not interchangeable thus shouldn't be listed together, quoting what "A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar" page 251 says:

"The phrase にかぎって is used to express an exclusive focus on a topic item X. The predicate is either explicitly negative or implicitly negative. An explicitly affirmative predicate cannot occur with にかぎって"
Therefore taking the example sentence on top of the page, if it was:

先着１００名に限って、サービス券を差し上げます

seems it would be questionable from a grammar correctness point.

好
1点
1 year ago (Edited 1 year ago.)
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,622

Let me dig into this a bit, I'll have something for you later today. I must have missed Karlla's mention of it when they last posted. Sorry!

好
0点
1 year ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,622

Ok, so I'm in the midst of researching this, and while I am not sure this page should be split up, there needs to be additional entries. It seems that while a lot of the above information is not incorrect per se, it is not complete, either.

#1 (New usage) AにかぎってB - Shows unfortunate (and often expected) result B when A occurred.

#2 (Current usage) Aにかぎって/にかぎり - Only on/for [A] - there is not a presumed positive or negative connotation.

#3 AにかぎってB - Because of full trust/faith/confidence in A, shows positive expectation B.

Now, it appears to me that the Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar is not covering all the uses. It does not cover several of the ones mentioned in Shin Kanzen master, so it can be tricky to see a usage and assume that it is the *only* way to use it.

So I believe that while the information on renshuu is correct, it's not complete.

So, here are some sources I am referencing:

DIJG (mentions only #1)

Shin Kanzen (mentions all three)

https://nihongokyoshi-net.com/... (mentions all three usages)

https://www.mlcjapanese.co.jp/... (mentions all three)

https://nihongonosensei.net/?p... (mentions only #1)

https://chiyo-sampo.net/gramma... (mentions all three)

So, my proposed changes would be to keep the current meaning/usage (#2), and add two more (#1 and #3). I'd love to see what your thoughts are before making this change, @Karlla and @MarcusAseth

好
1点
1 year ago
avatar
|マルコ|
Years Studied: ？？？
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
Level: 110, 好 : 343
マイコー は 01月 14日, 5:05に
Now, it appears to me that the Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar is not covering all the uses...
DIJG (mentions only #1)
と言いました。

After checking again, it does cover all 3 usages you mentioned, it just splits and group them differently :)

限り(the #2) is at page 85 while に限って(#1 and #3) are both explained under the same entry at page 251.
They try to cover both #1 and #3 under the same umbrella by saying "a compound particle to show that only X is different from others" and they used examples such:
"Of all times, when I am in a hurry, the bus doesn't come for ages." for #1
and
"Our child, of all children, would not do such a terrible thing." for #3
but that description of the grammar point is so generic (to me) that I personally prefers yours where you split that in 2.
I've also asked on a japanese study server, and a native confirmed that in #2 にかぎって/にかぎり both can be used, so I was wrong there :P
Finally to me personally, I find harder to reason about these things in terms of A's and B's and often reading those I kind of end up equally or more confused, so if it was up to me the explanation of the grammar point would do without them, for example
#1 complain about an event happening at the worst possible time. "Of all the times, it rains only when I forget my umbrella..."
#3 express full trust/faith/confidence in someone. "Of all childrens, my child could never do such a thing!"
But I understand that is only my personal preference and the A/B pattern is used in pretty much all the grammar points in the site so would be too late to change that, so ignore this :D

好
0点
1 year ago
avatar
Karlla
Years Studied: Many on and off
Studying: N2
Level: 654, 好 : 2,868

I haven't looked into this topic since I last posted here, so I'm not up to date. But I'm in for anything that helps clarify the different usages of these expressions. That being said, I agree with the expansion of the topic.

i also agree with Marcus that the AxB pattern is sometimes confusing. :)

好
0点
1 year ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,622

Split them up, added example sentence!

I understand the A/B thing, but it is useful in binding the parts of the expression to the usage patterns shown below (moreso with certain expressions).

好
0点
1 year ago
avatar
Karlla
Years Studied: Many on and off
Studying: N2
Level: 654, 好 : 2,868

Why is the never of this example sentence in parentheses? It doesn't make sense without the word, and the Japanese sentence has a ない in it, too.

#3 "This maker would (never) make such unfashionable clothes."

好
0点
1 year ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,622

That was a mistake, sorry! Fixed it up.

好
0点
1 year ago
hoppu
Level: 181, 好 : 2

it says im unable to study this in my grammar list because no quiz is available, or something to that effect. specifically the 2nd out of the 3 entries.

好
0点
1 month ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 109, 好 : 6,622

Unfortunately, there is still a chunk of grammar elements that do not have quiz questions available for them. I'm working on a batch of them for the N1 level expressions, but it's unfortunately pretty slow moving.

好
0点
1 month ago



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