Structure
Noun + でしかない
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About でしかない
でしかない is a construction comprised of the conjunctive form of だ, で, the particle しか, and the い-Adjective, ない. Like all other しか based structures, it is used to indicate that the target word is 'no more than (A)', or 'merely (A)'. The primary difference with でしかない compared to other similar grammar patterns is that it will only appear directly after nouns.
Although でしかない can be used with either a positive or negative nuance, it tends to be seen more frequently with a slightly negative nuance in relation to (A), indicating that it has no value or significant meaning beyond (A).
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Examples
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あの人は見栄の塊でしかない。
That person is nothing but the embodiment of vanity.
聞こえはいいが、安易な言い訳でしかない。
That sounds good, however it is merely a simple excuse.
「訓練だ」と言っているが、あんなの意地悪でしかない。
They are saying it is 'discipline', but it is merely bullying.
彼女から秘密を教えてもらったが、ウソでしかなかった。
She shared some secrets with me, but they were nothing more than lies.
アイデアは悪くないが、机上の空論でしかない。
The idea is not bad, but it is merely academic gossip.
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Grammatical justification for でしかない
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でしかない vs. にすぎない
OKWAVE
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でしかない – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (4 in total)
Pushindawood
@Whologist Great question! Most Japanese will tell you that they are completely interchangeable in the majority of situations and would not be able to tell the difference if you swapped one out for the other. It really boils down to the nuances of both しかない and すぎない. すぎない expresses a bit more humility and is used when the speaker wishes to be more modest or is making an effort to raise the subject matter up on a pedestal. しかない usually carries with it a slightly more negative nuance, often expressing dissatisfaction with an outcome or with oneself. Here is a discussion of how Japanese perceive the two. Hope this helps. Cheers!
Whologist
Thank you so much!
dokidokiwakuwaku
What would the difference be between this point and だけしかない? Thank you!
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