GrammarJLPT N5
→ nothing but
Nothing But / Only (with Negative)
JLPT N5ParticleNeutral
しか is a restrictive particle meaning "nothing but" or "only," and it must always be paired with a negative verb form. Unlike だけ, which simply states a limit in a neutral way (e.g., 「三つだけ食べた」 means "I ate only three" as a plain fact), しか carries a strong nuance of insufficiency, disappointment, or emphasis that the amount or scope is less than expected or desired (e.g., 「三つしか食べなかった」 means "I ate only three" with the implication that three was not enough or was surprisingly few). しか replaces the particles が and を when it attaches to a noun, but it follows other particles such as に, で, and と (e.g., 「日本にしかない」). Because the verb must always be in the negative, the overall sentence pattern is「Noun + しか + Verb (negative)」. This grammatical requirement is non-negotiable: using しか with an affirmative verb is ungrammatical in Japanese.
Functions
#1 Expressing insufficiency or limitation
Structure
Noun + しか + Verb (negative)
お金が百円しかない。
Here しか attaches to 百円 and is followed by the negative form ない, expressing that the speaker has only 100 yen and feels this is insufficient. The particle が before 百円 is retained because しか here modifies the quantity rather than replacing the subject marker directly. The overall tone conveys that the speaker wishes they had more money.I have nothing but 100 yen. (I only have 100 yen.)
Structures
- Noun (replacing が/を)
- Noun + しか + Verb (negative form)
- Noun + other particle (に, で, と, etc.)
- Noun + Particle + しか + Verb (negative form)
Common mistakes
The most common mistake learners make with しか is using it with an affirmative verb. Since しか inherently requires a negative predicate, sentences like 「水しか飲みます」 are ungrammatical and must be corrected to 「水しか飲みません」. Another frequent error is confusing しか with だけ. While both can translate as "only," だけ is neutral and can be used with affirmative verbs, whereas しか always implies insufficiency or an unexpectedly small amount and demands a negative verb. Learners also sometimes incorrectly stack particles, writing 「水をしか飲まない」 instead of the correct 「水しか飲まない」, forgetting that しか replaces が and を but follows other particles like に, で, and と.
Related
だけばかりのみきりほか〜ない