Grammar Info
N2 Lesson 10: 1/20

でしかない
merely, nothing but, no more than

Structure
Casual
Polite
Noun + しかない
Noun + しかありません
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
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.
  • それは言(い)い訳(わけ)でしかない
    That is nothing but an excuse.
  • 先輩(せんぱい)は愛(あい)のムチだと言(い)っているが、暴言(ぼうげん)でしかない
    My senpai says that he is saying this out of love, but it’s nothing more than abusive language.
  • 息子(むすこ)にとっては宝物(たからもの)かもしれないが、私(わたし)にとってはゴミでしかない
    To my son, it is something precious, but to me it is nothing but garbage.
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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事故(じこ)にあって、あなたが無事(ぶじ)なら、心配(しんぱい)いらない。車(くるま)車(くるま)でしかない
In an accident, if you are safe, there is nothing to worry about. A car is nothing but a car.
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どんなに成長(せいちょう)しても、親(おや)から見(み)ると息子(むすこ)は子供(こども)でしかない
No matter how much he grows up, the parents will always see their son as nothing more than a child.
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彼女(かのじょ)から秘密(ひみつ)を教(おし)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.
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