〜のみか: 'Not Only...But Even' (Meaning + Examples)
Adding a surprising extra point
〜のみか states one fact, then adds a second one that goes beyond what you'd expect — often something more impressive, more extreme, or more surprising than the first. The second clause frequently ends in も.
やったんは絵が上手なのみか、モチが驚くほど料理まで得意だ。
やったんは えが じょうずなのみか、モチが おどろくほど りょうりまで とくいだ。
Yattan isn't only good at drawing — he's even so good at cooking that it surprises Mochi.
のみか sets up an extra fact that exceeds expectations.
彼は英語のみか、フランス語も流暢に話す。
かれは えいごのみか、フランスごも りゅうちょうに はなす。
He speaks not only English but even French fluently.
この製品は便利なのみか、価格も手頃だ。
このせいひんは べんりなのみか、かかくも てごろだ。
This product isn't only convenient — it's even reasonably priced too.
Attaching to nouns and clauses
〜のみか attaches after a noun, or after a plain-form clause (な-adjectives and nouns take な before it). Like 〜のみならず, the second half often closes with も to reinforce the addition.
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | 名詞 + のみか | 英語のみか (not only English) |
| な-adjective | な形 + なのみか | 便利なのみか (not only convenient) |
| Plain verb/adjective | 普通形 + のみか | 勉強したのみか (not only did she study) |
モチは道に迷ったのみか、財布まで落としてしまった。
モチは みちに まよったのみか、さいふまで おとしてしまった。
Mochi didn't only get lost — he even dropped his wallet.
まで often shows up alongside のみか to underline the escalation.
Don't confuse with 〜のみならず
〜のみならず and 〜のみか overlap heavily and both translate as "not only... but also/even." The difference is subtle: 〜のみか tends to carry a rhetorical, slightly surprised tone about the added fact, and pairs comfortably with まで for extra emphasis; 〜のみならず is more neutrally additive and slightly more common in formal writing overall. In most N1 practice contexts, either reading works, but 〜のみか leans toward "and would you believe it, even..."
The short version
- 〜のみか = "not only... but even" — adds a second fact that exceeds expectations, with a rhetorical edge.
- Attaches to: a noun, な-adjective + な, or plain-form clause + のみか; second clause often ends in も or pairs with まで.
- Nuance/register: formal, literary; carries a touch of surprise at the added extreme.
- Don't confuse with: 〜のみならず, the more neutral, purely additive formal equivalent.
Practice it
Choose のみか when the sentence adds a second fact that surprisingly exceeds the first.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
彼は英語＿＿＿、フランス語も流暢に話す。
Where 〜のみか fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- Conditional 〜たら · N4 — 〜たら is Japanese's most flexible conditional: just add ら to the plain past. Learn the formation, the 'if/when' meaning, the discovery use, and how it beats ば/と for requests.
- 〜どころか · N3 — 〜どころか flips an expectation on its head: 'far from X, the opposite happened' or 'let alone X.' Learn both senses, how it attaches, and the common direction-of-contrast mistake.
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜思いをする — 〜思いをする attaches after an adjective (often た-form or stem) to mean 'to go through/experience [that feeling]' — 悔しい思いをする ('to feel bitter regret'). It almost always describes an unpleasant or difficult emotional experience.
- 〜折に — 〜折に is a formal expression meaning 'on the occasion of' or 'at the time when' — 東京にお越しの折に ('when you happen to visit Tokyo'). It politely marks a fitting opportunity, common in letters and formal speech.
- およそ — およそ is an adverb meaning 'approximately,' 'roughly,' or 'generally' — およそ170フィート ('about 170 feet'). Before a number it rounds a figure; before a noun or in a negative sentence it can mean 'the general gist' or 'not remotely.'
- 〜たりとも〜ない — 〜たりとも〜ない attaches to '一 + counter' to mean 'not even a single...' — 一瞬たりとも無駄にできない. Formal and emphatic, it denies even the smallest possible unit.
- 〜てならない — 〜てならない attaches to feeling verbs or adjectives to mean an emotion is uncontrollable — 気になってならない ('I just can't stop worrying'). Formal and literary, don't confuse it with the unrelated 〜てはならない ('must not').
- 〜ともなると — 〜ともなると means 'once (someone/something) reaches that level or status, of course...' — it draws an expected, natural conclusion from a notable status, role, or occasion. Common with jobs, ranks, and life stages.