Signification
Expressing that something has just been completed or that only one thing is done.
Banque d exercices
3 exercices会議は先週______ばかりです。
この本は今日______ばかりです。
冷蔵庫には牛乳が______ばかりです。
🎉 Score : /3
The word 'ばかり' (bakari) has a rich history in the Japanese language, evolving from classical Japanese. Originally, 'ばかり' was used as a suffix indicating approximation, extent, or limitation. Over centuries, its usage diversified, leading to the two primary meanings we see today. The sense of 'just finished' emerged from the idea of something being 'just about' or 'nearly' completed, eventually solidifying into indicating immediate completion. The 'only doing one thing' meaning derives from its core function of limitation and exclusivity. Its usage can be traced back to early Japanese literature, evolving through the Heian, Kamakura, and Edo periods, and adapting to modern linguistic structures.