〜んばかりに／んばかりの／んばかりだ

Meaning

This grammar pattern describes a state or degree that has barely not reached a certain point. It means "as if about to..." (…しそうな), expressing that something is on the verge of happening.

Formation

Examples

1. あの子はみんなに責められて、今にも泣きださんばかりだ。
   That child was blamed by everyone and looked as if they were about to burst into tears.

2. ジュリちゃんが幼稚園に入ると、子どもたちがはちきれんばかりの笑顔で駆け寄ってきた。
   When Juli entered the kindergarten, the children came running up with smiles so big they looked ready to burst.

3. 歩きスマホをしていた男は私にぶつかるなり「気をつけろよ」と言わんばかりにこちらをにらんだ。
   A man who was walking while looking at his phone bumped into me, and then glared at me as if to say "Watch where you're going!"

4. 事故の現場にいた人々は、腰を抜かさんばかりに驚いた。
   The people at the accident scene were so shocked they nearly collapsed.

Summary

• 「〜んばかりに」 means "as if about to; on the verge of; almost to the point of"
• Attaches to verbs (ない-form stem); する becomes せん
• 「と言わんばかりに」 ("as if to say") can also appear as 「とばかりに」