～ばかりでなく — Not Only, But Also
A neutral way to say 'not only X, but also Y,' presenting two things together without necessarily implying surprise. It broadens a statement to include a second point. Often paired with も in the second clause. It is close in meaning to だけでなく but sounds a touch more formal.
Structure
[Plain form] + ばかりでなく / [な-adj な] + ばかりでなく / [Noun] + ばかりでなく
Examples
子供ばかりでなく、大人もこのゲームを楽しんでいる。
Kodomo bakari de naku, otona mo kono geemu o tanoshinde iru.
Not only children but also adults enjoy this game.
ばかりでなく adds adults alongside children
彼は勉強ができるばかりでなく、スポーツも得意だ。
Kare wa benkyou ga dekiru bakari de naku, supootsu mo tokui da.
He is not only good at studying, but also good at sports.
ばかりでなく connects two positive qualities
この薬は頭痛ばかりでなく、腹痛にも効く。
Kono kusuri wa zutsuu bakari de naku, fukutsuu ni mo kiku.
This medicine works not only for headaches but also for stomachaches.
ばかりでなく extends the scope to a second symptom
• Register: slightly formal but widely usable in speech and writing. • The second clause commonly takes も ('also'). • Interchangeable with だけでなく in most cases.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～ばかりでなく is tested against.
vs ～ばかりか
ばかりか implies the second element is surprising or extreme; ばかりでなく is neutral and simply additive.
vs ～だけでなく
Nearly identical in meaning; ばかりでなく feels marginally more formal or written.
More emphasis
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