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

Grammar: Addition » 〜だけではなく〜も

Usage Notes

This is used when the listener might think the statement applies only to Ⓐ, but the speaker wants to widen the scope to include Ⓑ. The two parts should be parallel: two nouns, two qualities, two actions, two places, two reasons, and so on.

だけでなく and だけではなく are both common. The は in では makes the contrast a little more explicit, and the shorter だけでなく often feels smoother in ordinary writing. In casual speech, だけじゃなく or だけじゃなくて may appear instead.

Formation

Reading Manga Examples

When reading the provided manga examples, first find the item before だけでなく. That is the thing being rejected as the only limit. Then scan forward for the item marked by も. That is the added item.

Particle Placement

With nouns, any needed particle often stays with the noun before だけでなく, and the matching particle usually appears again with も.

• AからだけでなくⒷからも: not only from Ⓐ, but from Ⓑ too
• AにだけでなくⒷにも: not only to/at Ⓐ, but to/at Ⓑ too
• AとだけでなくⒷとも: not only with Ⓐ, but with Ⓑ too

This pattern can be easier to parse if you look for a matching pair rather than translating word by word.

Similar Expressions

〜ばかりで(は)なく〜も is very close in meaning and is often used for the same “not only Ⓐ but also Ⓑ” idea. It can sound a little more emphatic or formal than plain だけでなく.

Do not confuse だけじゃなくて〜も with だけじゃなくても. だけじゃなくて〜も adds a specific Ⓑ item. だけじゃなくても often means that “only Ⓐ” is not required, as in “it does not have to be just Ⓐ.”

Sentence-level adders such as それに, さらに, and しかも also add information, but they connect whole statements. 〜だけで(は)なく〜も works inside a sentence by pairing Ⓐ and Ⓑ directly.

Examples

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Care for not only your face but also your body with 〜だけでなく〜も

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

Benjamin suggests Louise do push-ups alongside Lou, her “Living Doll”. When Louise tires quickly, he notes that Living Dolls also tire.

ベンジャミン:

「顔(かお)だけでなく体(からだ)も労(ねぎら)ってやれ。」

“Take care of not only your face but also your body.”

「道具(どうぐ)の使(つか)い方(かた)を誤(あやま)るな」

“Don't misuse your tools.”

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

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!”

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...”

They'll target not just me with 〜だけじゃなく〜も

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

After Shin’ichi was forced to take a deadly drug that instead shrank him back to a child, he took on the undercover name Conan and went to stay with his childhood friend Ran and her detective father in the hope of a lead to the black-clad men who drugged him. He later discusses with Professor Agasa about how useless Detective Mouri is. The professor reminds Conan that the poison was supposed to have killed him, so he can’t rush and let others know his true identity.

コナン:

「オレだけじゃなく、オレのまわりの人達(ひとたち)も危(あぶ)ないっていうんだろ？」

“You're saying it won't be just me, but the people around me will be in danger too, right?”

「心配(しんぱい)すんな！ちゃんと蘭(らん)にもおっちゃんにも、江戸川(えどがわ)コナンでとおしてるよ！！」

“Don't worry! I'm keeping up the Conan Edogawa act with Ran and the old man, too!!”