GRAMMAR DETAIL
〜とは限らない
Indicates that even a judgment that generally seems correct may have exceptions.
Examples
努力すれば必ず成功するとは限らない。
Making an effort does not always guarantee success.
Words used
見た目が穏やかでも、性格まで静かとは限らない。
Even if someone looks gentle, their personality is not necessarily quiet.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
とは限らないfollows a judgment and limits it by saying it does not necessarily hold. - Basic usage:
努力すれば必ず成功するとは限らない。says that success is not always guaranteed by effort.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Allowing an exception versus asserting the opposite
性格まで静かとは限らないleaves open the possibility that the personality is not quiet. It does not establish an opposite trait such as always being noisy.
- When the preceding claim is negative
彼が来ないとは限らないdenies certainty that he will not come, leaving his arrival possible.彼が来るとは限らないinstead denies a guarantee that he will come.