Can I use しか with nouns?

Yes, but still with a negative verb. Example: A: おなかがすきました。なにか食べるものはありますか？ = I am hungry. Do you have anything to eat? B: すみません、ガムしかありません。= Sorry, I only have gum .

Is the feeling of surprise (with も) or disappointment (with しか) always strong?

The strength of the feeling is subjective and depends on the context and the speaker's voice/intonation. It can range from genuine surprise/disappointment to a more subtle emphasis or observation that the number is noteworthy (either high or low relative to the situation or expectation).

Please tell me common Japanese counters.

There are various counters (量詞 - ryoushi) depending on what you are counting. Common ones include: 個 (ko) [for small items], つ (tsu) [general counter, up to 10], 人 (nin) [for people], 冊 (satsu) [for books, magazines], 枚 (mai) [for flat thin objects], 台 (dai) [for machines, vehicles], 本 (hon) [for long cylindrical objects], 匹 (hiki) [for small animals], 杯 (hai) [for drinks in cups/bowls], etc. These are also used when you attach 「も」 or 「しか」 together with the number to emphasize the quantity, such as 「〇〇個も」 or 「〇〇冊しか」.

How to Say “As Many As” and “Only” in Japanese

contents

Introduction
1. Basic Structure
- As Many As
- As Few As / Only
2. Key Points to Remember
3. Example Sentences
4. Practice Time!
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
6. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
7. Conclusion
- Want to improve your Japanese with real conversations?

Introduction

Want to say things like:

“I have as many as 10 manga books”?
“I have only one car”?
“I slept for just 3 hours last night”?

In Japanese, you can express surprise at a high number or disappointment at a low number by combining a number with the particles も or しか:

Number + も = as many as
Number + しか + (negative verb) = only / as few as

Let’s learn how to emphasize quantity in natural Japanese!

1. Basic Structure

As Many As

Number + も + positive verb

Example	Meaning
りんごを五個ごこも食たべました。	I ate as many as five apples.
九時間くじかんも寝ねました。	I slept as long as nine hours.
三人さんにんも来きました。	Three whole people came. (more than expected)

As Few As / Only

Number + しか + negative verb

Example	Meaning
水みずを一杯いっぱいしか飲のみませんでした。	I drank only one glass of water.
教室きょうしつに一台いちだいしかパソコンがありません。	There is only one computer in the classroom.
きのうは三時間さんじかんしか寝ねていません。	I slept for only three hours yesterday.

2. Key Points to Remember

も	しか
Use with positive verbs	Use with negative verbs
Emphasizes large quantity	Emphasizes small quantity
→ Wow, that many!	→ That’s it?! Only!?

3. Example Sentences

三千円さんぜんえんも持もっています。
= I have as much as 3,000 yen. (You consider it enough for what you want to buy)
三千円しか持っていません。
= I only have as little as 3,000 yen. (You think it’s not enough)

旅行中りょこうちゅうに写真しゃしんを五枚ごまいも撮とりました。
= I took as many as five photos during the trip. (Implies you took more than expected or a good number)
旅行中に写真を五枚しか撮りませんでした。
= I only took five photos during the trip. (Implies you took fewer than expected or a small number)

4. Practice Time!

Try making both patterns (も / しか) from the same number:

Prompt	As many as (も)	Only (しか)
I have 10 comic books.	マンガを十冊じゅっさつも持もっています。	マンガを十冊しか持っていません。
I read two books in one month.	一か月いっかげつで本ほんを二冊にさつも読みました。	一か月で本を二冊しか読みませんでした。
I studied Spanish for two years.	スペイン語ごを二年にねんも勉強べんきょうしました。	スペイン語を二年しか勉強していません。

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Wrong	✅ Correct
りんごをたくさんも食べました。	りんごをたくさん食べました。りんごを３つも食べました。
三人しか来ました。	三人しか来ませんでした。

💡 Note that も cannot be used without a number, and しか must be followed by a negative verb.

6. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Q Can I use しか with nouns?: A
Yes, but still with a negative verb. Example:
A: おなかがすきました。なにか食べるものはありますか？ = I am hungry. Do you have anything to eat?
B: すみません、ガムしかありません。= Sorry, I only have gum.

Q What’s the difference between しか and だけ?

Both can mean “only,” but the nuance and grammar are different:

しか + Negative Verb: Emphasizes that the quantity is small or less than expected, often with a feeling of disappointment or inadequacy. (Negative nuance)
だけ + Positive or Negative Verb: Is more neutral. It simply states that the quantity is limited to that amount, without necessarily implying it’s too little. (Neutral nuance)
Example: 三人しか来ませんでした。(San-nin shika kimasen deshita.) = Only three came. (Implies fewer than hoped for or expected – disappointment).
三人だけ来ました。(San-nin dake kimashita.) = Only three came. (Simply states the fact that the number was limited to three – neutral).
三人だけ来ませんでした。(San-nin dake kimasen deshita.) = Only three people didn’t come. (Neutral statement about those who were absent).

Q Is the feeling of surprise (with も) or disappointment (with しか) always strong?: A
The strength of the feeling is subjective and depends on the context and the speaker’s voice/intonation. It can range from genuine surprise/disappointment to a more subtle emphasis or observation that the number is noteworthy (either high or low relative to the situation or expectation).

Q Please tell me common Japanese counters.: A
There are various counters (量詞 – ryoushi) depending on what you are counting. Common ones include: 個 (ko) [for small items], つ (tsu) [general counter, up to 10], 人 (nin) [for people], 冊 (satsu) [for books, magazines], 枚 (mai) [for flat thin objects], 台 (dai) [for machines, vehicles], 本 (hon) [for long cylindrical objects], 匹 (hiki) [for small animals], 杯 (hai) [for drinks in cups/bowls], etc. These are also used when you attach 「も」 or 「しか」 together with the number to emphasize the quantity, such as 「〇〇個も」 or 「〇〇冊しか」.

7. Conclusion

Now you can:

✅ Say “as many as” with 〜も
✅ Say “only / as few as” with 〜しか + negative verb
✅ Use these forms to emphasize quantity in real conversation

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