“kanarazu / kanarazu shimo…nai” — Always vs Not Necessarily [JLPT N3]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
“Kanarazu” = definitely; “kanarazu shimo…nai” = not necessarily — certainty vs partial negation, with examples. (JLPT N3)
「必ず」 and 「必ずしも〜ない」 — “always” vs “not necessarily,” a world apart in one syllable
「締め切りは必ず守ってください」 (please always meet the deadline) vs 「お金持ちが必ずしも幸せとは限らない」 (the rich aren't necessarily happy) — an easily-confused adverb pair: 「必ず」 ＋ affirmative = always, without fail (100%); 「必ずしも」 ＋ negative = not necessarily (denying “absolutely”). One 「しも」 apart, worlds apart in meaning. This guide clarifies 必ず／必ずしも's pairing, that “100% vs not necessarily,” and separates them from 「きっと」.
Core: 必ず = 100%, 必ずしも = not necessarily
The key is whether it pairs with affirmative or negative:
- 必ず ＋ affirmative = always, without fail (100%, no exception): 必ず来る (will definitely come), 必ず守る (always keep). For rules, promises, natural laws.
- 必ずしも ＋ negative = not necessarily (partial negation, denying “absolutely”): 必ずしも正しいとは限らない (not necessarily correct). Denies “always ~,” implying “there are exceptions.”
Rule of thumb: 必ず (affirmative, 100%)／必ずしも (negative, not necessarily).
How to Connect
| Form | Attachment | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 必ず ＋ affirmative | always, without fail | 必ず来る |
| 必ずしも ＋ negative | not necessarily | 必ずしも〜ない （not necessarily …） |
| 必ずしも〜とは限らない | not necessarily… (set phrase) | 必ずしも〜とは限らない （not necessarily always …） |
例句（看情境）
- 締め切りは必ず守ってください。(Please always meet the deadline.) — 必ず (without fail)
- この薬は、必ず食後に服用してください。(Always take this medicine after meals.) — 必ず (rule)
- お金持ちが必ずしも幸せとは限らない。(The rich aren't necessarily happy.) — 必ずしも (not necessarily)
- 高い物が必ずしもいいとは限らない。(Expensive things aren't necessarily good.) — partial negation
- 努力すれば必ず成功するとは限らない。(Effort doesn't necessarily mean success.) — 必ずしも can also drop しも
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
① 「必ずしも」 must pair with a negative. 必ずしも is “partial negation,” always followed by a negative (〜ない, 〜とは限らない): ✗ 必ずしも正しい (missing the negative) → ○ 必ずしも正しくない／必ずしも正しいとは限らない. Forget the negative and it's wrong.
② 「必ず」 (100%) vs 「必ずしも」 (not necessarily) are opposites. 必ず来る (will definitely come) ↔ 必ずしも来るとは限らない (won't necessarily come). One 「しも」 ＋ negative apart — one “absolutely,” the other “not necessarily.” Don't confuse them.
③ 「必ず」 vs 「きっと」. 必ず = objective 100% (rules, promises, laws) (必ず提出してください = be sure to submit); きっと = the speaker's strong subjective guess (surely… I bet) (きっと来るよ = they'll surely come, with subjective expectation). 必ず is objective certainty, きっと a subjective guess.
🔄 Compare: 必ず／必ずしも／きっと
| Form | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 必ず ＋ affirmative | objective 100% (rule/law) | 必ず来る |
| 必ずしも ＋ negative | not necessarily (partial negation) | 必ずしも〜ない （not necessarily …） |
| きっと | strong subjective guess (surely) | きっと来る |
| たぶん | probably (weaker guess) | たぶん来る |
💡 The key point in use
What trips people most on 「必ず」 and 「必ずしも」 is the pairing: 必ず ＋ affirmative = always (100%) (必ず守る = always keep); 必ずしも ＋ negative = not necessarily (必ずしも〜とは限らない = not necessarily…). One 「しも」 apart, opposite meanings! 「必ずしも」 must have a negative (forget it and it's wrong), and its most frequent set phrase is 「〜からといって、必ずしも〜とは限らない」 (just because…, it's not necessarily…). Vs 「きっと」: 必ず is objective certainty (rules, promises), きっと a subjective guess (surely… I bet). Remember “必ず (affirmative 100%)／必ずしも (negative, not necessarily)” and you won't confuse them again.
❓ FAQ
Q: How do I tell 「必ず」 from 「必ずしも」?
By whether it pairs with affirmative or negative — opposite meanings. 「必ず」 ＋ affirmative = always, without fail (100%, no exception): 明日は必ず来ます (I'll definitely come tomorrow), 締め切りを必ず守る (always meet the deadline) — for rules, promises, natural laws, categorical. 「必ずしも」 ＋ negative = not necessarily (partial negation): 高い物が必ずしもいいとは限らない (expensive isn't necessarily good), 成功者が必ずしも幸せとは言えない (the successful aren't necessarily happy) — denying “absolutely so,” implying exceptions. Key: 必ず pairs with affirmative (100%), 必ずしも with negative (not necessarily). One 「しも」 apart — one “absolutely,” one “not necessarily.”
Q: Why must 「必ずしも」 be followed by a negative?
Because 「必ずしも」 is a partial-negation adverb meaning “not necessarily (not absolutely so)” — it inherently carries “denying ‘always',” so it must be completed with a negative: 必ずしも〜ない, 必ずしも〜とは限らない, 必ずしも〜わけではない. A bare 「必ずしも正しい (✗)」 doesn't work; it needs 「必ずしも正しいとは限らない (not necessarily correct)」. The classic set phrase is 「〜からといって、必ずしも〜とは限らない」 (just because…, it's not necessarily…), e.g. 高いからといって、必ずしもいいとは限らない (just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's good). This is a very frequent N3 point — memorize the 「必ずしも ＋ negative」 combination.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「締め切りは___守ってください。」(please be sure to meet the deadline)
(A) 必ず (B) 必ずしも (C) たぶん (D) もしかすると
Q2. 「お金持ちが___幸せとは限らない。」(the rich aren't necessarily happy)
(A) 必ずしも (B) 必ず (C) きっと (D) ぜひ
Q3. What does 「必ずしも〜ない」 express?
(A) Not necessarily (partial negation)
(B) Definitely (full affirmation)
(C) Absolutely not (full negation)
(D) Probably
Q4. What's the difference between 必ず and きっと?
(A) 必ず = objective certainty / be sure to; きっと = subjective guess
(B) Exactly the same
(C) 必ず = guess
(D) きっと = a request
Q5. Which usage is correct?
(A) 必ず連絡します。 (B) 必ず正しいとは限らない。
(C) 必ずしも合格する。 (D) 必ずしも行きます。
Answer Key
1. (A) 必ず ── be sure to (必ず ＋ affirmative).
2. (A) 必ずしも ── not necessarily happy (＋ negative).
3. (A) ── not necessarily / not always.
4. (A) ── 必ず is objective; きっと is a subjective guess.
5. (A) ── 必ず ＋ affirmative; (B) should be 必ずしも〜とは限らない; (C)(D) wrongly pair 必ずしも with affirmatives.