JAPANESE STUDY SYSTEMKOTOWA 词和
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SILVER ERA · ことばを、少しずつ。
JLPT BANDN5 BEGINNER → N1 ADVANCED

〜しか〜ない

N4
shika ... nai

only; nothing but

Formation

Noun + しか + Verb-nai

Chinese meanings

只有;仅仅

Chinese formation

名词+しか+否定形

Chinese usage

通过否定形式限定范围,表示只有某物或某人。

Chinese notes

比だけ更容易带有数量少或不足的语气。

Examples

  • 財さい布ふに五ご百ひゃく円えんしかない。
    I only have 500 yen in my wallet.
    钱包里只有五百日元。
  • このことは、あなたにしか話はなしていません。
    I haven't told anyone but you about this.
    这件事我只告诉了你。
  • 朝あさはコーヒーしか飲のみません。
    I only drink coffee in the morning.
    早上我只喝咖啡。

Notes

Always paired with a negative verb. Compared with だけ, it stresses that the amount is small or not enough.

#limitation#negation

Related N4 grammar

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('shika-nai');
{
  "id": "shika-nai",
  "pattern": "〜しか〜ない",
  "romaji": "shika ... nai",
  "level": "N4",
  "meaning": "only; nothing but",
  "formation": "Noun + しか + Verb-nai",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "財布に五百円しかない。",
      "furigana": "{財布|さいふ}に{五|ご}{百|ひゃく}{円|えん}しかない。",
      "en": "I only have 500 yen in my wallet."
    },
    {
      "ja": "このことは、あなたにしか話していません。",
      "furigana": "このことは、あなたにしか{話|はな}していません。",
      "en": "I haven't told anyone but you about this."
    },
    {
      "ja": "朝はコーヒーしか飲みません。",
      "furigana": "{朝|あさ}はコーヒーしか{飲|の}みません。",
      "en": "I only drink coffee in the morning."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "limitation",
    "negation"
  ],
  "notes": "Always paired with a negative verb. Compared with だけ, it stresses that the amount is small or not enough.",
  "zh": {
    "status": "reviewed",
    "source_hash": "f84868c311ea35756502050cd6f73e9d6659827305979b35e31a681daf9250a5",
    "meanings": [
      "只有",
      "仅仅"
    ],
    "formation": "名词+しか+否定形",
    "explanation": "通过否定形式限定范围,表示只有某物或某人。",
    "notes": "比だけ更容易带有数量少或不足的语气。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "財布に五百円しかない。",
        "zh": "钱包里只有五百日元。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "このことは、あなたにしか話していません。",
        "zh": "这件事我只告诉了你。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "朝はコーヒーしか飲みません。",
        "zh": "早上我只喝咖啡。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n4.json#shika-nai",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "59764abb7240552da7147adac5e51ad17632573f61c8685d488fd540a124c089"
  }
}