“〜bakari ka”: Not Only 〜, but Even 〜 (an unexpected escalating addition) [JLPT N2]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「宿題を忘れたばかりか授業中に寝ていた」 — not only that — surprisingly, even more.

「道に迷ったばかりか、財布まで落とした」 — not only that, but even that, of all things …

「その日は道に迷ったばかりか、財布まで落として、最悪だった」 (that day I not only got lost but even dropped my wallet — the worst) — 「〜ばかりか」 expresses “not only ～, but (even) ～”: state one thing, then add a more extreme, more unexpected one. This guide covers 「ばかりか」's use and attachment, separating it from the neutral 「だけでなく」 and the written 「のみならず」 (N2).

Core: not only ～, but (even) ～ (adding a greater item)

「(plain form) ＋ ばかりか」 = “not only ～, but (even) ～” — cite one thing, then add something deeper, more unexpected, the second clause often with 「も／さえ／まで」:

• 彼は英語ばかりか、フランス語も話せる (he can speak not only English but even French).
• 手伝ってくれないばかりか、邪魔までする (not only won't he help, he even gets in the way).

Feel: “not only …, but even … of all things” — the core is “on top of the first clause, adding something a step further, often unexpected,” with an escalating, emphatic flavor. It works for stacking good things (many abilities) or bad things (adding insult to injury).

Attachment

See it in context

• 彼女は美人なばかりか、頭もいい。(She's not only beautiful but also smart.) — good stacking
• 台風で電車が止まったばかりか、停電まで起きた。(The typhoon not only stopped the trains but even caused a blackout.) — bad stacking
• あの店は高いばかりか、サービスも悪い。(That shop is not only expensive but also has poor service.) — negative
• 彼は謝らないばかりか、逆ギレした。(He not only won't apologize but even flew into a rage.) — unexpected escalation
• この薬は効かないばかりか、副作用さえあった。(This medicine not only doesn't work but even had side effects.) — insult to injury

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① 「ばかりか」 carries ‘surprise, escalation,' 「だけでなく」 is more neutral. Both mean “not only ～, but also ～,” but ばかりか carries the ‘unexpectedly even …' emphasis (迷ったばかりか財布まで = not only got lost but even dropped my wallet — with escalating surprise); だけでなく just neutrally ‘not only A, but B' (英語だけでなく、フランス語も = not only English but also French — a plain addition). To stress “a step further, unexpectedly” use ばかりか, for a plain “not only … but also” use だけでなく.

② The second clause often pairs with 「も・さえ・まで」, and must be greater than the first. 「ばかりか」's second clause is usually a step further, more extreme than the first, often with 「も／さえ／まで」 echoing (〜ばかりか、〜まで). So the two have an escalating relation (the second greater), not a casual juxtaposition of two things. If the two are equal, parallel (no escalation), 「〜し」「〜も」 is more natural. ばかりか is specifically “add a greater item on top of the first.”

③ 「ばかりか」 leans written, mostly for ‘beyond-expectation' contexts. It's more formal, written, with a surprised or emphatic “even … of all things,” common for situations beyond ordinary expectation (better than expected, or worse — insult to injury). For casual settings and plain addition, 「〜も」「〜だけでなく」 suffice. To stress “not only that, but even …” in a formal context, use ばかりか.

🔄 Compare: ばかりか／だけでなく／のみならず／どころか

💡 The key point in use

「〜ばかりか」 = not only ～, but (even) ～, its core “on top of the first clause, adding something greater, more unexpected,” the second clause often with 「も・さえ・まで」 echoing (迷ったばかりか財布まで = not only got lost but even dropped my wallet). Three points: ① it carries ‘surprise, escalation,' unlike the neutral 「だけでなく」 — ばかりか stresses “unexpectedly even …,” だけでなく is just “not only … but also”; ② the second clause must be greater than the first (an escalating relation, not equal juxtaposition); ③ it leans written, mostly for beyond-expectation contexts (over-the-top good or insult to injury). To stress the escalating surprise “not only that, but even …” in a formal context, ばかりか has the most force. (Neutral addition: 〈だけでなく〉; reversed expectation: 〈どころか〉.)

❓ FAQ

Q: 「ばかりか」 and 「だけでなく」 both mean ‘not only ～, but also ～' — how do I tell them apart?

Whether there's a ‘surprise, escalation' emphasis. 「〜だけでなく」 = not only ～, but also ～ (neutrally adding two same-direction facts, no special emotion): この店は料理が美味しいだけでなく、値段も安い (this place not only has tasty food but is also cheap — plainly adding two merits). It's just “A, and also B,” neutral. 「〜ばかりか」 = not only ～, but (even) ～ (adding something ‘a step further, more unexpected' on top of the first, with surprise, emphasis, the second often with も／さえ／まで): この店は料理が美味しいばかりか、値段まで安い (this place not only has tasty food but is even cheap — with a “surprisingly good” exclamation). The same sentence with 「ばかりか」 gains the escalating surprise “unexpectedly even ….” Same for negatives: 遅刻しただけでなく、宿題も忘れた (not only was I late but I also forgot the homework — plain) vs 遅刻したばかりか、宿題まで忘れた (not only was I late but I even forgot the homework — insult-to-injury emphasis). Test: plain neutral addition → だけでなく; to stress the escalating surprise “a step further, even …” → ばかりか. Also, ばかりか leans written; casual speech mostly uses 「だけでなく」 or 「〜も」.

Q: 「ばかりか」 and 「どころか」 differ slightly — same meaning?

No — even opposite in direction. 「〜ばかりか」 = not only ～, but (even) ～ (the two ‘same-direction,' adding a greater item on top of the first): 勉強ができるばかりか、スポーツも得意だ (not only good at studies but also at sports — “good at studies” and “good at sports” are same-direction [both merits], the second adding on). It's “A (already very …), and even more … (B same direction).” 「〜どころか」 = far from ～, on the contrary ～ (the two ‘opposite,' the reality contrary to expectation/the first; see 〈どころか〉): 彼は感謝するどころか、逆に怒り出した (far from thanking me, he got angry — “thank” and “get angry” are opposite, reality contrary to expectation); 貯金が増えるどころか、減る一方だ (far from increasing, my savings only decrease). It's “far from A, the fact is the opposite (B opposes A).” Test: the second clause ‘same-direction, adding on' → ばかりか; the second clause ‘opposite, reversing' the first/expectation → どころか. One is “not only … but even more … (same-direction escalation),” one “far from …, on the contrary … (reverse flip)” — a big difference. (どころか: see 〈どころか〉.)

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「彼は宿題を忘れた___、授業中に寝ていた。」(Not only did he forget his homework, he slept during class)

(A) だけでなく　(B) ばかりか　(C) のみならず　(D) どれでも

Q2. 「この製品は使いやすい___、デザインも優れている。」(Not only is it easy to use, its design is excellent too)

(A) ばかりか　(B) からといって　(C) どころか　(D) わりに

Q3. Which has the strongest tone (a surprising/exaggerated addition)?

(A) 英語だけでなく、中国語も話せる。

(B) 英語ばかりか、中国語まで話せる。

(C) 英語のみならず、中国語も話せる。

(D) B and C are the same in meaning and usage.

Q4. 「台風のため、電車が止まった___、道路まで封鎖された。」(Not only did the trains stop, even the roads were closed)

(A) だけでなく　(B) ばかりか　(C) のみならず　(D) どれでもいい

Q5. What tends to follow 「ばかりか」?

(A) から・ので (reason)

(B) さえ・まで・も (further additive emphasis)

(C) たら・ば (condition)

(D) のに・けれど (adversative)

Answer Explanations

1. (B) ばかりか ── 「宿題を忘れたばかりか、授業中に寝ていた」= not only forgot homework (A), but even slept during class (the worse B) → ばかりか (an addition exceeding expectation).

2. (A) ばかりか ── 「使いやすいばかりか、デザインも優れている (not only easy to use, the design is excellent too)」= not only ~ but also ~ (addition). (B) からといって (just because ~, that doesn't); (C) どころか (far from ~, on the contrary); (D) わりに (out of proportion with ~) differ in meaning.

3. (C) のみならず ── the most formal, with the strongest sense of surprise. But (B) 「英語ばかりか中国語まで」is also strong; in fact both (B) and (C) are strong. Choose (C) because のみならず is the most formal and exaggerated of the three.

4. (B) ばかりか ── 「電車が止まったばかりか、道路まで封鎖 (trains stopped, and even worse, the roads were closed)」→ ばかりか.

5. (B) ── ばかりか is often followed by 「さえ・まで・も」to emphasize the degree of the addition: 「ばかりか〜さえ」「ばかりか〜まで」「ばかりか〜も」.