← Grammar bank

Formation: V-plain / i-adj plain + ばかりか; na-adj + な + ばかりか; N + ばかりか

〜ばかりか adds a second point in the same direction as the first, and the second is usually more striking or surprising. That is why the second clause often contains も, さえ or まで. It works for both good and bad situations and is slightly formal, but it is also used in speech. The main clause cannot be a command, request, invitation or the speaker's will. For those, use 〜ばかりでなく or 〜だけでなく instead. Compare 〜のみならず: it means the same but is more formal and written. 〜どころか means the opposite of what was expected is true (far from X, actually Y), while ばかりか simply adds something more in the same direction.

Variants: 〜ばかりか〜も／さえ／まで、〜ばかりでなく (related, fewer restrictions)

Examples

• 彼は宿題を忘れたばかりか、教科書まで持ってこなかった。
  Not only did he forget his homework, he didn't even bring his textbook.
• この薬は効かないばかりか、副作用もあるらしい。
  Apparently this medicine not only doesn't work, it also has side effects.
• 大雨で、道路ばかりか線路まで水につかった。
  The heavy rain flooded not only the roads but even the railway tracks.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

No post has used this pattern yet. Examples from real texts will appear here.