Japanese grammar · ≈ JLPT N2 · Intermediate 2
〜に限る~ni kagiru
nothing beats
Use 「〜に限る」 after a verb or noun to recommend what you personally think is the best choice.
How it works
What is best when you feel a cold coming on? Look at the picture: the speaker recommends going to bed early.
「に限る」expresses what the speaker personally considers the best choice, with a sense of “nothing beats this.”
Attach 「に限る」directly to a verb’s dictionary form: 早く寝るに限る. This presents an action as the best solution.
Not doing something can also be the best solution. On a typhoon day: 外に出ないに限る. Use the verb’s ない-form.
「に限る」can also follow a noun directly: 寒い日は、お風呂に限る. It recommends a particular thing.
What would you recommend for cold hands and feet? 温かいお風呂に入るに限る. Use this pattern to give advice.
Use 「に限ります」to make a polite recommendation. It still means that something is the best choice.
Here, 「限る」means “the best,” not “limited to.” Do not mistake the recommendation for a restriction.
Example sentences
- 風邪kazeをoひきhikiそうなときsounatokiは、wa、早くhayaku寝るneruにni限りますkagirimasu
When you feel like you are catching a cold, the best thing to do is go to bed early.
In a conversation
- A急激に冷え込んで手足が冷えるときは、どうしていますか。
A: What do you do when it suddenly gets cold and your hands and feet are freezing?
- Bそう
Check yourself
Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
When you are not yet used to the heat, the best thing is to avoid overexerting yourself and stay in a cool room.
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
風邪をひきそうなときは、早く寝る____。
When you feel like you're catching a cold, the best thing is to go to bed early.
More grammar in this theme
- 〜に限るnothing beats