Grammar Info
N1 Lesson 7: 8/17

んばかりに
as if, as if it were about to, about to

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
Verb[ない+ + ばかり +
Verb[ない+ + ばかり + + Noun
Details
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使用域 硬い
許り
Information
  • Aんばかり is a written expression used to metaphorically express that something is of great degree, meaning “as if A were” or more literally “as if A were about to happen”.
    Often used with 言う、溢れる、気も狂う、飛び出す、すりつける and 割れる。
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小説(しょうせつ):「割(わ)れんばかりの拍手(はくしゅ)に部屋(へや)は満(み)たされた。」
Novel : 'As if it were about to shatter, the room filled with thunderous applause.'
割れんばかり is very often modifying nouns like 拍手 or 歓声
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《小説(しょうせつ)》この巨大(きょだい)な宝石(ほうせき)はまるで「拾(ひろ)ってください」と言(い)わんばかりに、燦然(さんぜん)と光(ひか)り輝(かがや)いていた。
Novel: The enormous jewel was shining brilliantly as if it were saying “please pick me up”.
と言わんばかり can be contracted to とばかりに
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コロ先生(せんせい)最後(さいご)の講演(こうえん)とあって、講堂(こうどう)が生徒(せいと)で溢(あふ)れんばかりだった。
Since it was the last lecture of Koro-sensei, the auditorium was about to overflow with people.
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