Meaning
"Not only A, but even B": the second fact is stronger or more surprising than the first. More bookish and emotional than だけでなく; the second half often has さえ／まで／も. ばかりか describes facts, not requests or intentions. The more neutral ばかりでなく allows a request: 自分のことばかりでなく、人のことも考えなさい。
Formation
- Plain-form V＋ばかりか: 遅れた → 遅れたばかりか; 言わない → 言わないばかりか
- いA＋ばかりか — 狭い → 狭いばかりか
- なA＋な＋ばかりか — 複雑 → 複雑なばかりか
- N＋ばかりか: 九九 → 九九ばかりか
- Variant ばかりでなく (calmer, close to だけでなく): 地元の人 → 地元の人ばかりでなく
When to use it
- Where to use it
- When a stronger or more unexpected fact is added to the first: 九九ばかりか、足し算さえできない; お礼を言わなかったばかりか、文句まで言った. Common in stories, news and complaints.
- Where not to use it
- Not before a request, order, invitation or your own intention: ✗ 野菜ばかりか、肉も食べなさい. Don't confuse it with Vてばかり ("do nothing but…").
Examples
20 sentences-
息子は九九ばかりか、簡単な足し算さえできない。
My son can't do his times tables, or even simple addition.
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彼女は約束の時間に遅れたばかりか、連絡もしてこなかった。
Not only was she late for our appointment, she didn't even get in touch.
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この部屋は狭いばかりか、日当たりも悪い。
This room is not only cramped — it barely gets any sun either.
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新しいシステムは複雑なばかりか、動きも遅い。
The new system is not only complicated but slow as well.
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この祭りには地元の人ばかりでなく、外国人も大勢来る。
Not only locals but lots of foreigners too come to this festival.
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祖母はスマホを使いこなすばかりか、動画まで作っている。
My grandma not only handles a smartphone with ease — she even makes videos.
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運動は体にいいばかりでなく、気分も明るくしてくれます。
Exercise isn't only good for your body — it lifts your mood too.
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台風で電車が止まったばかりか、停電した地域もあった。
The typhoon not only stopped the trains — some areas even lost power.
12 more examples
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彼はお礼を言わなかったばかりか、文句まで言った。
Not only did he not thank me — he even complained.
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その映画は子どもばかりでなく、大人にも人気があります。
That film is popular not only with children but with adults too.
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迷子の男の子は住所ばかりか、自分の名前さえ言えなかった。
The lost boy couldn't tell us his address, or even his own name.
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山田さんは仕事をすぐ覚えたばかりか、新しい企画まで出した。
Yamada not only learned the job quickly but even came up with a proposal for a new project.
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今年の夏は暑いばかりか、雨もほとんど降らない。
This summer it's not only hot, it hardly rains at all.
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あのホテルは対応が不親切なばかりか、部屋も汚い。
At that hotel, not only is the service unfriendly, the rooms are dirty too.
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弟は掃除を手伝わないばかりか、すぐ部屋を散らかす。
My little brother not only doesn't help with the cleaning, he makes a mess of the room right away.
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この病院は内科ばかりでなく、歯科もあるので便利です。
This hospital has not only internal medicine but a dental department too, which is convenient.
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ボランティアは人の役に立つばかりでなく、自分の成長にもつながります。
Volunteering not only helps others but also helps you grow as a person.
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物価が上がったばかりか、給料まで下がってしまった。
Not only have prices gone up, my salary has even gone down.
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アンナさんは漢字が読めるばかりか、書道まで習っている。
Anna can not only read kanji — she's even taking calligraphy lessons.
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その歌手は国内ばかりか、アジア各国でも人気がある。
That singer is popular not only at home but all across Asia.
Important notes
- The second half often has さえ／まで／も to stress the escalation: 動画まで作っている.
- ばかりでなく is closer to だけでなく and sounds more even; ばかりか carries surprise or indignation.
- The restriction on requests and intentions applies to ばかりか. The more neutral ばかりでなく can introduce advice or an order: 自分のことばかりでなく、人のことも考えなさい。
Common mistakes
- ✗ 野菜ばかりか、肉も食べなさい → ✓ 野菜だけでなく（ばかりでなく）、肉も食べなさい — ばかりか is never followed by an order or request.
- ✗ 遅れてばかりか、連絡もしなかった → ✓ 遅れたばかりか、連絡もしなかった — ばかりか attaches to the plain form; Vてばかり is a different pattern ("do nothing but").
- ✗ 複雑だばかりか → ✓ 複雑なばかりか — a な-adjective takes な before ばかりか.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
- ～だけでなく・～だけではなくだけでなく is neutral and allows a request in the second half; ばかりか is stronger, sounds surprised and is used only for facts.
- ～どころかどころか overturns an expectation ("far from A — in fact B"); ばかりか accepts A and adds B in the same direction.
- 〜ばかりNばかり／Vてばかり means "nothing but, all the time"; ばかりか means "not only…, but also".
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