〜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
- それは単なるうわさに過ぎない。That's nothing more than a rumor.那只不过是传闻。
- 私は自分の仕事をしたに過ぎません。I was merely doing my job.我只不过做了自己的工作。
- 今回明らかになった問題は、氷山の一角に過ぎない。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
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"
}
}