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〜んばかり(に/だ/の)

n bakari (ni / da / no)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Meaning

as if about to …; almost …

〜んばかり describes something that looks as if it is about to happen: 泣かんばかりの顔 (a face that looks ready to cry), 割れんばかりの拍手 (applause as if the hall would split). The ん is the classical volitional attached to the ない-stem. The special phrase 言わんばかりに means "as if to say".

Narrative writing and vivid description, also in refined speech. It describes what the speaker observes in others or in scenes, not the speaker's own actions. する becomes せんばかり.

Formation

V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

  • Vない-stem + んばかりに + V (manner)
  • Vない-stem + んばかりの + N
  • Vない-stem + んばかりだ (sentence end)
  • Set: 言わんばかりに / 〜と言わんばかりの

Visual diagram

  1. Step 1泣きそうな顔a face that looks like crying (neutral)
  2. Step 2泣かんばかりの顔a face as if about to burst into tears (vivid, literary)
  3. Step 3「出て行け」と言わんばかりの態度an attitude as if to say "get out"

Natural examples

  1. 彼女は泣かんばかりの顔で助けを求めた。

    かのじょはなかんばかりのかおでたすけをもとめた。

    She asked for help with a face that looked ready to burst into tears.

    泣かんばかりの + 顔: adnominal use.

  2. 会場は割れんばかりの拍手に包まれた。

    かいじょうはわれんばかりのはくしゅにつつまれた。

    The hall was filled with thunderous applause.

    割れんばかりの拍手: the classic phrase for thunderous applause.

  3. 彼は早く帰れと言わんばかりに、時計を見た。

    かれははやくかえれといわんばかりに、とけいをみた。

    He looked at his watch as if to say hurry up and go home.

    言わんばかりに: as if to say, with the implied words before it.

  4. 彼女は飛び上がらんばかりに喜んだ。

    かのじょはとびあがらんばかりによろこんだ。

    She was so delighted she almost jumped for joy.

    んばかりに + verb describes the manner.

  5. 店員は「早く帰れ」と言わんばかりに、店の灯りを消し始めた。

    てんいんは「はやくかえれ」といわんばかりに、みせのあかりをけしはじめた。

    The clerk started turning off the shop lights as if to say "hurry up and leave".

    The quoted words are what the behaviour implies.

Similar grammar and the difference

Common mistakes

  • ✗
    泣くんばかりの顔
    ✓
    泣かんばかりの顔
    Why
    Attach ん to the ない-stem.
  • ✗
    私は泣かんばかりに頼んだ。
    ✓
    私は泣きそうになりながら頼んだ。
    Why
    The pattern describes what is observed in others; for oneself it sounds odd.
  • ✗
    割れるばかりの拍手
    ✓
    割れんばかりの拍手
    Why
    ばかり alone means "only"; the ん is essential.

The event does not actually happen; it only looks as if it will (the applause does not split the hall). Frequent phrases: 割れんばかりの拍手, 泣かんばかり, あふれんばかりの笑顔, 言わんばかり. する → せんばかり: 土下座せんばかりに謝った.

JLPT N1 tips

On the exam

  • A ない-stem + ん + blank + の/に describing a vivid appearance → ばかり.
  • Distractors: んがため (purpose), んとする (imminent), ばかりに (because). Check for the ん and for the sense "as if".
  • 言わんばかり is a frequent key; recognise it as a unit.

Frequently asked questions

What does 〜んばかり(に/だ/の) mean?

as if about to …; almost …. 〜んばかり describes something that looks as if it is about to happen: 泣かんばかりの顔 (a face that looks ready to cry), 割れんばかりの拍手 (applause as if the hall would split). The ん is the classical volitional attached to the ない-stem. The special phrase 言わんばかりに means "as if to say".

How do you form 〜んばかり(に/だ/の)?

Vない-stem + んばかりに + V (manner) / Vない-stem + んばかりの + N / Vない-stem + んばかりだ (sentence end) / Set: 言わんばかりに / 〜と言わんばかりの. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

When is 〜んばかり(に/だ/の) used?

Narrative writing and vivid description, also in refined speech. It describes what the speaker observes in others or in scenes, not the speaker's own actions. する becomes せんばかり.

What is the difference between 〜んばかり(に/だ/の) and 〜んがため(に)?

Same classical ん, but expresses purpose.

What is the difference between 〜んばかり(に/だ/の) and 〜んとする?

Same ん: "be about to / try to" as an actual imminent event, not an appearance.

What is a common mistake with 〜んばかり(に/だ/の)?

Wrong: 泣くんばかりの顔 Right: 泣かんばかりの顔 Attach ん to the ない-stem.

Quick check

1 / 5Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

彼は今にも殴りかから（　　）勢いで、相手をにらみつけた。