JAPANESE STUDY SYSTEMKOTOWA 词和
N5 — N1
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Kanji collection2,383
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Grammar collection0526
SILVER ERA · ことばを、少しずつ。
JLPT BANDN5 BEGINNER → N1 ADVANCED

〜に過ぎない

N2
〜にすぎない ni suginai

merely; nothing more than; only

Formation

Verb-plain / Noun + に過ぎない

Chinese meanings

不过;仅仅

Chinese formation

动词普通形+に過ぎない;名词+に過ぎない

Chinese usage

表示某事只是程度有限的一项。

Chinese notes

常与単なる、ただ等搭配。

Examples

  • それは単たんなるうわさに過すぎない。
    That's nothing more than a rumor.
    那只不过是传闻。
  • 私わたしは自じ分ぶんの仕し事ごとをしたに過すぎません。
    I was merely doing my job.
    我只不过做了自己的工作。
  • 今こん回かい明あきらかになった問もん題だいは、氷ひょう山ざんの一いっ角かくに過すぎない。
    The problem that has come to light this time is merely the tip of the iceberg.
    这次发现的问题只是冰山一角。

Notes

Downplays something as small or unimportant. Often with ただ or 単なる.

#limitation#emphasis#formal

Related N2 grammar

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('ni-suginai');
{
  "id": "ni-suginai",
  "pattern": "〜に過ぎない",
  "reading": "〜にすぎない",
  "romaji": "ni suginai",
  "level": "N2",
  "meaning": "merely; nothing more than; only",
  "formation": "Verb-plain / Noun + に過ぎない",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "それは単なるうわさに過ぎない。",
      "furigana": "それは{単|たん}なるうわさに{過|す}ぎない。",
      "en": "That's nothing more than a rumor."
    },
    {
      "ja": "私は自分の仕事をしたに過ぎません。",
      "furigana": "{私|わたし}は{自分|じぶん}の{仕事|しごと}をしたに{過|す}ぎません。",
      "en": "I was merely doing my job."
    },
    {
      "ja": "今回明らかになった問題は、氷山の一角に過ぎない。",
      "furigana": "{今回|こんかい}{明|あき}らかになった{問題|もんだい}は、{氷山|ひょうざん}の{一角|いっかく}に{過|す}ぎない。",
      "en": "The problem that has come to light this time is merely the tip of the iceberg."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "limitation",
    "emphasis",
    "formal"
  ],
  "notes": "Downplays something as small or unimportant. Often with ただ or 単なる.",
  "zh": {
    "status": "reviewed",
    "source_hash": "f7bbbbd5d7f9dad7001f625c303ca638d1eeebf287bbe621da4291f333d0872f",
    "meanings": [
      "不过",
      "仅仅"
    ],
    "formation": "动词普通形+に過ぎない;名词+に過ぎない",
    "explanation": "表示某事只是程度有限的一项。",
    "notes": "常与単なる、ただ等搭配。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "それは単なるうわさに過ぎない。",
        "zh": "那只不过是传闻。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "私は自分の仕事をしたに過ぎません。",
        "zh": "我只不过做了自己的工作。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "今回明らかになった問題は、氷山の一角に過ぎない。",
        "zh": "这次发现的问题只是冰山一角。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n2.json#ni-suginai",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "ec6315e9c38d82c108f7132c1a8a24c33b3e4f40f095a4469f28722bed002550"
  }
}