“ni kagiru / ni kagiri” Meaning — Nothing Beats 〜 / Limited to 〜 [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
“Nothing beats beer in summer,” “today only” — strong recommendation and limitation, with examples. (JLPT N2)
「暑い日は、かき氷に限る!」 — nothing beats this
Eating shaved ice on a hot day, you can't help saying 「暑い日は、かき氷に限る!」 (on a hot day, nothing beats shaved ice!) — 「〜に限る・〜に限り」 are two siblings of the 「限」 family, differing by one kana with different meanings: 「に限る」 = ～ is best, nothing beats ～ (a strong recommendation); 「に限り」 = only ～, limited to ～ (deals, rules). This guide covers these two uses and separates them from the family's 「に限って (of all things/～ alone)」「に限らず (not limited to)」 (see 〈に限って〉〈に限らず〉).
Core: る = ～ is best, り = only ～
These two differ by one kana (る／り), with different meanings:
- 〜に限る = ～ is best, nothing beats ～ (a subjective strong recommendation/asserting the best choice): 夏はビールに限る (in summer, nothing beats beer), 疲れた時は寝るに限る (when tired, sleeping is best).
- 〜に限り = only ～, limited to ～ (an objective limited scope, for deals/rules): 本日に限り、半額 (only today, half price), 会員に限り入場可 (admission for members only).
Feel: “～ is best (に限る)／only ～ (に限り)” — 「に限る」 subjectively recommends “～ is the best choice, nothing beats it” (with admiration); 「に限り」 objectively limits “only ～, just ～” (deals, rules). One kana apart, one a recommendation, one a limitation.
Forms & attachment
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| noun ＋ に限る | ～ is best | ビールに限る （nothing beats beer） |
| verb dictionary form ＋ に限る | doing ～ is best | 寝るに限る |
| verb ない-form ＋ に限る | not ～ing is best | 無理しないに限る （best not to overdo it） |
| noun ＋ に限り | only ～, limited to ～ | 本日に限り |
Examples in use
- 風邪のときは、早く寝るに限る。(When you have a cold, sleeping early is best.) — best
- 節約するなら、自炊するに限る。(If saving money, cooking for yourself is best.) — best
- こういう時は、下手に動かないに限る。(At such a time, it's best not to move rashly.) — best (negative)
- 当店は、本日に限り、全品二割引きです。(Our shop, only today, has 20% off everything.) — only
- このクーポンは、初回に限りご利用いただけます。(This coupon can be used for the first visit only.) — only
⚠️ Easy traps to avoid
① 「に限る (best)」 vs 「に限り (only)」: one kana apart, different meaning. This is the key distinction. One kana (る／り) apart. 「〜に限る」 = ～ is best, nothing beats ～ (subjective recommendation): asserting something is the best choice, with admiration, recommendation: 夏はビールに限る (in summer, nothing beats beer), 旅行は一人に限る (for travel, nothing beats going alone). 「〜に限り」 = only ～, limited to ～ (an objective limited scope): limiting a scope (time, target, quantity), mostly for deals, rules, notices: 本日に限り半額 (only today, half price), お一人様一個に限り (limited to one per person). Test: to say “～ is best, nothing beats ～” (recommendation) → に限る; to say “only ～, limited to ～” (limitation) → に限り. One kana apart, one recommendation, one limitation — don't confuse them.
② 「に限る (best)」 attaches to a noun or verb dictionary/ない-form. When 「〜に限る」 means “～ is best,” what precedes can be a noun (ビール・温泉), a verb dictionary form (寝る・自炊する), or a verb ない-form (無理しない・行かない): 疲れたら寝るに限る (when tired, sleeping is best — verb dictionary form), 危ない時は近づかないに限る (when it's dangerous, not approaching is best — verb ない-form). It's “(as for the best course/choice,) it's ～.” So to recommend “doing ～ is best” use “verb dictionary form ＋ に限る,” to recommend “not ～ing is best” use “verb ない-form ＋ に限る.” Mnemonic: (noun/verb dictionary/ない-form) ＋ に限る = ～ is best.
③ The 「限」 family's four siblings, separated at once. 「限（かぎ）る」 yields several N2 patterns, easily confused; here they are at once: ① 「〜に限る」 = ～ is best／only (this guide): ビールに限る (nothing beats beer). ② 「〜に限り」 = only ～, limited to ～: 本日に限り (only today). ③ 「〜に限って」 = of all things ～／～ alone (pinpointing, see 〈に限って〉): 今日に限って傘がない (of all days, no umbrella today). ④ 「〜に限らず」 = not limited to ～, not only ～ (scope expands, see 〈に限らず〉): 子供に限らず大人も (not only children, but adults too). All four contain 「限,」 but: る = best, り = only, って = of all things/～ alone, らず = not limited to. Mnemonic: for ～ is best use に限る, for only use に限り, for of all things/～ alone use に限って, for not limited to use に限らず. Tell them apart by the ending (る/り/って/らず). (There's also 「できる限り = as much as possible, 知る限り = as far as I know,」 see the 〈限り〉 hub.)
🔄 Compare: に限る／に限り／に限って／に限らず
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜に限る | ～ is best (subjective recommendation) | ビールに限る （nothing beats beer） |
| 〜に限り | only ～, limited to ～ (objective deals/rules) | 本日に限り |
| 〜に限って | of all things ～／～ alone (pinpointing) | 今日に限って |
| 〜に限らず | not limited to ～, not only ～ (scope expands) | 子供に限らず |
💡 How to remember this
「〜に限る・に限り」 are two siblings of the 「限」 family — three points: ① 「に限る」 = ～ is best (subjective recommendation, 夏はビールに限る = in summer nothing beats beer), attaching to a noun or verb dictionary/ない-form (寝るに限る, 無理しないに限る); ② 「に限り」 = only ～, limited to ～ (objective limitation, 本日に限り半額, for deals/rules); ③ separate the 「限」 family's four siblings — る = best, り = only, って = of all things/～ alone (see 〈に限って〉), らず = not limited to (see 〈に限らず〉), told by the ending. The 「に限る」 pattern is very everyday — to recommend “this is the best, nothing beats it,” a single 「〜に限る」 (夏はかき氷に限る, 風邪のときは寝るに限る) captures that “nothing beats it” recommendation.
❓ FAQ
Q: 「に限る」 and 「に限り」 differ by one kana — do they mean the same?
No — one kana (る／り) apart, different meanings. 「〜に限る」 = ～ is best, nothing beats ～ (a subjective strong recommendation/asserting the best choice): used to subjectively recommend something as the best choice, with admiration, strong endorsement: 暑い日はビールに限る (on a hot day, nothing beats beer), 疲れたら寝るに限る (when tired, sleeping is best), こんな日は家でのんびりするに限る (on a day like this, nothing beats relaxing at home). It's “(as for the best,) it's ～, nothing beats it.” 「〜に限り」 = only ～, limited to ～ (objectively limiting a scope): used to objectively limit a scope (time, target, quantity), mostly in deals, rules, notices: 本日に限り、全品半額 (only today, everything half price), 先着百名様に限り、プレゼント進呈 (only the first hundred, a gift given), 会員に限り利用可能 (usable for members only). It's “(scope) limited only to ～, just ～.” Test: to subjectively recommend “～ is best, nothing beats ～” → に限る (recommendation, admiration); to objectively limit “only ～, just ～” → に限り (deals, rules). E.g. 「旅行は一人に限る (for travel, nothing beats going alone — recommendation)」 uses に限る; 「このセールは今週に限り (this sale only this week — limitation)」 uses に限り. One kana apart (る vs り), one the subjective “best,” one the objective “only” — completely different uses.
Q: 「に限る」「に限り」「に限って」「に限らず」 all contain 「限」 — how do I separate them at once?
They're the four siblings of the 「限（かぎ）る」 family, told by the ending: ① 「〜に限る」 = ～ is best／limited to ～ (る): subjectively recommends “～ is the best” (ビールに限る = nothing beats beer), or “limited to ～.” ② 「〜に限り」 = only ～, limited to ～ (り): objectively limits a scope (本日に限り = only today), for deals, rules. ③ 「〜に限って」 = of all things ～／～ alone (って): pinpointing a specific one — unlucky/ironic (今日に限って傘がない = of all days, no umbrella today) or trust (うちの子に限って = my child alone, see 〈に限って〉). ④ 「〜に限らず」 = not limited to ～, not only ～ (らず): scope expands outward (子供に限らず大人も = not only children, but adults too, see 〈に限らず〉). Mnemonic: る = best, り = only, って = of all things/～ alone, らず = not limited to. Though all contain 「限,」 「に限る」 recommends (best), 「に限り」 limits (only), 「に限って」 pinpoints (of all things/～ alone), 「に限らず」 expands (not limited to). Note especially that 「限って (pinpoint/of all things)」 and 「限らず (not limited to/expand)」 are opposite directions, most easily confused. Tell them by the ending (る/り/って/らず), paired with “best/only/of all things/not limited to,” and the four siblings are clear. (Also 「できる限り = as much as possible, 知る限り = as far as I know, 〜ないかぎり = unless」 are other uses of 「限り,」 see the 〈限り〉 hub.)
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「疲れた時は、休むこと___。」(When you're tired, nothing beats resting)
(A) に限って (B) に限る (C) を限りに (D) に限り
Q2. 「この駐車場は関係者___ご利用いただけます。」(Use is restricted to authorized personnel only — a rule)
(A) に限る (B) に限り (C) を限りに (D) に限って
Q3. 「___、遅刻するのはいつも彼だ。」(Of all people, it's always him who is late — ironic)
(A) に限って (B) に限り (C) に限る (D) を限りに
Q4. 「夏は冷やし中華___！」(In summer, nothing beats cold ramen! — strong recommendation)
(A) に限って (B) を限りに (C) に限る (D) に限り
Q5. 「に限る」と「に限り」の違いは？
(A) 全く違う意味。
(B) 意味は同じ。に限り は書面・公告的に使われることが多い。
(C) に限る は限定；に限り は推薦のみ。
(D) に限り は否定文のみ。
Answer Explanations
1. (B) に限る ── 「休むことに限る」(nothing beats resting!) = strong recommendation / assertion → に限る.
2. (B) に限り ── 「関係者に限り」(authorized personnel only), 「ご利用いただけます」= a restrictive rule → に限り (the written/polite form of に限る).
3. (A) に限って ── 「彼に限って」(of all people, him), 「遅刻するのはいつも彼」(ironic / a special case) = に限って.
4. (C) に限る ── 「冷やし中華に限る！」(nothing beats cold ramen!) = a strong personal recommendation → に限る.
5. (B) ── Same meaning; に限り is the written / more formal form of に限る, often appearing in rules and notices (会員に限り〜), while に限る is more colloquial and emphasizes personal assertion more strongly.