Grammar Info
N1 Lesson 6: 16/17

とばかりに
as if (to say), seeming that

ばっかり, ばっか, ばかし, and ばっかし are all fairly common casual variations of ばかり

Structure
Quote + ばかり(に)
Noun +()+ ばかり(に)
Details
Register Formal
使用域 硬い
許り
Information
  • (A) ばかり(に) (B) is a written expression used to emphasize that someone (other than the speaker/writer) does (B) with an appearance/mood as if their real intention were to say (A). (B) is often a very meaningful/symbolic or dynamic action like gestures, facial expressions, and so on.
  • It is a contraction of 「いわんばかり(に)」- "as if (about to) say". ここぞとばかりに is the most common phrase using this expression.
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《小説(しょうせつ)》 なかなか目(め)にかかない美(うつく)し景色(けしき)なので武(たけし)はこことばかりにカメラ手(て)、撮影(さつえい)し
Novel: It's a beautiful scene that you don't see very often, so Takeshi took the opportunity to grab his camera and take some pictures.
ここ in this context means "now", as in "now is the moment I have been waiting/aiming for" and ぞ is used to emphasize determination. Therefore these expressions can be translated to "take advantage of the opportunity" or "grab the opportunity"
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《小説(しょうせつ)》洋服店(ようふくてん)入(はい)るなり長(なが)いことこのときを待(ま)っていたとばかりに店員(てんいん)声(こえ)をかけてきた
Novel: As soon as he entered the clothing store, the clerk approached him, as if she had been just waiting for this very moment for a long time.
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《小説(しょうせつ)》「もうあなたはなしたくないとばかりに彼(かれ)ドアばたんと閉(し)め
Novel: He slammed the door as if to say "I don't want to talk with you anymore".
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Try N1
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Shin Kanzen Master N1 Bunpou
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A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar
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Sou Matome Bunpou N1
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