Japanese with Manga

Not just Machisu, but also Kyou with 〜だけでなく〜も

Grammar Explanation: Not only this but also that with 〜だけではなく〜も

Manga panel from ポケットモンスタースペシャル showing example of Not just Machisu, but also Kyou with 〜だけでなく〜も.
ポケットモンスタースペシャル » Volume 3 » Page 68

After infiltrating a Team Rocket hideout, Red, Green, and Blue take on the various Gym Leaders inside, including Machisu, Natsume, and Kyou. A couple of Team Rocket grunts discuss the fallout.

したっぱ 1:
「マチス様(さま)だけでなくキョウ様(さま)も倒(たお)された。　おまけに…ビルに炎(ほのお)をはなったようだ！」
“Not only Master Machisu, but Master Kyou was defeated too. On top of that... it looks like they set fire to the building!”
Literal: “Not only Master Machisu, but Master Kyou too was defeated. On top of that... it seems they released flames into the building!”
したっぱ 2:
「早(はや)くあのガキどもを探(さが)さなければ！　…が、トレーナーバッジのエネルギー増幅器(ぞうふくき)の保管(ほかん)場所(ばしょ)を離(はな)れるわけには…。」
“We have to find those brats quickly! ...But we cannot leave the place where the Trainer Badge energy amplifier is being stored...”
Literal: “We must quickly find those brats! ...But we cannot leave the storage place of the Trainer Badge energy amplifier...”

Key Points

1だけでなく〜も adds Kyou to the bad news
  • マチス様(さま)だけでなくキョウ様(さま)も means “not only Master Machisu, but Master Kyou too”.
  • The noun before だけでなく is the first affected person; the noun before も is the additional person included in the same outcome.
2倒(たお)された is receptive past of 倒(たお)す
  • Both マチス様(さま) and キョウ様(さま) are linked to 倒(たお)された, so both of them were defeated.
  • 倒(たお)す is a verb ending in す, so its receptive form is 倒(たお)される, and the past form is 倒(たお)された.
  • The receptive keeps the focus on what happened to their leaders, not on who defeated them.
3様 shows Team Rocket’s deference
  • 様(さま) after each name makes the grunts sound respectful toward the Gym Leaders.
4探(さが)さなければ means they have to search
  • 探(さが)さなければ is the shortened form of 探(さが)さなければならない, “must search”.
  • The full pattern is negative verb + なければならない: literally, “if we do not search, it will not do.”
  • In urgent speech, the final ならない or いけない is often left unsaid once the obligation is clear.
5わけにはいかない means circumstances will not allow it
  • 離(はな)れるわけには… trails off from 離(はな)れるわけにはいかない, “cannot leave”.
  • Here わけ points to the situation or reason that would make leaving unacceptable: they are guarding the storage place.
  • Do not read this as simply “there is no reason to leave”; the phrase says they may want to leave, but duty makes it impossible.

See Also

ポケットモンスタースペシャル © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.