Japanese Grammar: だけでなく (dake naku) – Not only… but also…

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Japanese Grammar: だけでなく (dake naku) – Not only… but also…
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Not only… but also…

🎯 Primary Function

To express that something is not limited to one thing/attribute but extends to others as well.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Plain form) + だけでなく / Noun + だけでなく
I-adjective + だけでなく
Na-adjective + な/である + だけでなく
Verb/Adjective (Negative form) + だけでなく

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Commonly used in speeches, reports, and presentations to provide comprehensive information.

😊 Informal Situations

Used in daily conversation to emphasize multiple reasons or characteristics.

✍️ Written Language

Common in essays and news articles. ‘Nominarazu’ is a more formal written alternative.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common; often followed by ‘mo’ in the second clause.

💡 Common Applications

Adding information
Used to add a positive or negative attribute to something already mentioned.
Example: この本は面白いだけでなく、勉強になります。
Expanding scope
Used to show that a statement applies to more than one group or category.
Example: 子供だけでなく大人も楽しめます。
📊
Frequency
High
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N3
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N3 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N3 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
日本語は難しいだけでなく、面白いです。
Furigana: にほんごはむずかしいだけでなく、おもしろいです。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii dake naku, omoshiroi desu.
English: Japanese is not only difficult but also interesting.
Example #2
彼女は日本語だけでなく、英語や中国語も話せます。
Furigana: かのじょはにほんごだけでなく、えいごやちゅうごくごもはなせます。
Romaji: Kanojo wa nihongo dake naku, eigo ya chuugokugo mo hanasemasu.
English: She can speak not only Japanese but also English and Chinese.
Example #3
彼は先生なだけでなく、有名な小説家でもあります。
Furigana: かれわせんせいなだけでなく、ゆうめいなしょうせつかでもあります。
Romaji: Kare wa sensei na dake naku, yuumei na shousetsuka de mo arimasu.
English: He is not only a teacher but also a famous novelist.
Example #4
この店は料理が美味しいだけでなく、値段も安いです。
Furigana: このみせはりょうりがおいしいだけでなく、ねだんもやすいです。
Romaji: Kono mise wa ryouri ga oishii dake naku, nedan mo yasui desu.
English: This restaurant is not only delicious but also cheap.
Example #5
昨日は寒いだけでなく、風も強かったです。
Furigana: きのうはさむいだけでなく、かぜもつよかったです。
Romaji: Kinou wa samui dake naku, kaze mo tsuyokatta desu.
English: The weather was not only cold but also very windy.
Example #6
彼は勉強するだけでなく、スポーツもよくします。
Furigana: かれはべんきょうするだけでなく、スポーツもよくします。
Romaji: Kare wa benkyou suru dake naku, supootsu mo yoku shimasu.
English: He not only studies hard but also plays sports well.
Example #7
運動は体に良いだけでなく、心にも良いです。
Furigana: うんどうはからだによいだけでなく、こころにもよいです。
Romaji: Undou wa karada ni yoi dake naku, kokoro ni mo yoi desu.
English: Exercise is good not only for the body but also for the mind.
Example #8
このパソコンは軽いだけでなく、性能もとてもいいです。
Furigana: このパソコンはかるいだけでなく、せいのうもとてもいいです。
Romaji: Kono pasokon wa karui dake naku, seinou mo totemo ii desu.
English: This computer is not only light but also very high performance.
Example #9
学生だけでなく、先生も驚きました。
Furigana: がくせいだけでなく、せんせいもおどろきました。
Romaji: Gakusei dake naku, sensei mo odorokimashita.
English: Not only the students but the teachers were also surprised.
Example #10
京都は綺麗なだけでなく、歴史もあります。
Furigana: きょうとはきれいなだけでなく、れきしもあります。
Romaji: Kyoto wa kirei na dake naku, rekishi mo arimasu.
English: Kyoto is not only beautiful but also has a lot of history.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Use with ‘mo’ (も)
The second part of the sentence often includes the particle ‘mo’ (also) to reinforce the connection.
Example: 彼は歌だけでなく、ダンスも上手だ。
Consistent Polarity
Usually, if the first part is positive, the second part is also positive (and vice versa for negative).
Example: この料理は美味しいだけでなく、見た目も綺麗です。

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 先生だけでなく (when meaning ‘Not only is he a teacher…’)
✅ 先生なだけでなく (Sensei na dake naku) or 先生であるだけでなく (Sensei de aru dake naku).
When using ‘dake naku’ with a noun to mean ‘not only being a…’, you often need ‘na’ or ‘de aru’. However, for simple ‘not only [Noun]’, ‘Noun + だけでなく’ is usually sufficient.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. Suitable for both polite (Desu/Masu) and plain forms.
Social Situations: Useful for giving compliments or explaining complex situations where multiple factors are involved.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese. No significant regional variations.

🔍 Subtle Differences

だけでなく vs. ばかりでなく (bakari de naku)
‘Bakari de naku’ is slightly more formal and emphatic than ‘dake naku’.
When to use: Use ‘dake naku’ for everyday situations; ‘bakari de naku’ for slightly more weight.
だけでなく vs. のみならず (nominarazu)
‘Nominarazu’ is very formal and primarily used in written Japanese or formal speeches.
When to use: Use ‘nominarazu’ in academic writing or formal business contexts.

📝 Conjugation Notes

For Na-adjectives, use ‘na’ before ‘dake naku’ (e.g., kirei na dake naku). For Nouns, you can use them directly (Noun + dake naku) or use ‘de aru’ for a more formal tone.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure a slight pause after ‘naku’ to separate the two clauses clearly.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘dake’ as ‘only’ and ‘naku’ as ‘not’. So it literally translates to ‘not only’. Just remember to add ‘also’ (mo) in the next part of your thought!

Other Grammar

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