As if with 〜んばかり

Grammar: Appearance » 〜んばかり

〜んばかり means something looks like it is one step away from happening.

A good default translation is “as if about to…“. If the verb is 言(い)う, switch to “as if to say…“. The action after んばかり usually has not actually happened; the point is how strongly the scene gives that impression.

The three shapes you will see

〜んばかりだ

This ends the description.

彼女(かのじょ)は泣(な)かんばかりだった。

“She looked as if she were about to cry.”

〜んばかりに

This describes how something is done.

彼(かれ)は倒(たお)れんばかりに疲(つか)れていた。

“He was so tired he looked as if he might collapse.”

〜んばかりの + noun

This describes a noun.

言(い)わんばかりの表情(ひょうじょう)

“An expression as if to say it.”

What not to overread

The ん before ばかり may look negative, but the pattern does not mean “not doing”. It means the scene seems close to doing that verb. Also, ばかり here is not the everyday “only” or “just” by itself. The whole chunk 〜んばかり works as one expression.

Examples

Want to submit a manga example for this grammar?

As if to say try and catch me 〜んばかり

Kei and Chinatsu watch as their cousin, Makoto, chases a pheasant back and forth across the field. During a break in the chase, Makoto explains her fascination with the bird.

真琴(まこと):

「常(つね)に届(とど)きそうで届(とど)かない距離(きょり)をキープしてて」

“Constantly seeming like you can reach and keeping a distance you can't...”

「捕(つか)まえてみろよと言(い)わんばかりの目(め)で見(み)てくるんです」

“It's been looking with eyes as if to say, try and catch me!”