Meaning
ばかりに indicates that something unfortunate or unexpected happened due to one specific reason. It expresses a causal relationship where the cause itself is negative or undesirable, and the resulting consequence is also negative or disappointing. The pattern conveys a sense of regret, implying 'just because of this one reason alone, and as a result...'
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 動詞普通形 | ばかりに |
| い形容詞 | ばかりに |
| な形容詞（な/である） | ばかりに |
| 名詞（な/である） | ばかりに |
Examples
-
ホテルで働いた経験がなかったばかりに、あの大きなホテルでは採用されなかった。
Just because I had no experience working at a hotel, I wasn't hired by that large hotel chain. -
余計なことを言ったばかりに、彼女が傷ついてしまった。
Because I said something unnecessary, my girlfriend ended up feeling hurt. -
あの子の父が、ある事件の容疑者であるばかりに、学校でよくいじめられてかわいそうだ。
That child is often bullied at school simply because his father is a suspect in a certain case—it's really unfortunate.
Summary
- Used when ONE negative reason causes an unfortunate or unexpected consequence
- Both the cause and result are typically undesirable or regrettable situations
- Conveys emotional nuance of 'if only this one thing hadn't happened...'