Meaning
〜とは限らない expresses that something cannot be taken for granted and has exceptions. It means 'it's not always' or 'there's no guarantee that.' Often used with 必ずしも (not necessarily) to form 必ずしも〜とは限らない, emphasizing that something is not absolutely, completely, or always the case.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词普通形 | とは限らない |
| い形容词 | とは限らない |
| な形容词(な) | とは限らない |
Examples
-
お金持ちが必ずしも幸せとは限らない。
Being rich doesn't necessarily mean you'll be happy. -
先生が言っていることがすべて正しいとは限らない。
What the teacher says isn't always entirely correct. -
株式投資は必ずしも利益を生むとは限らない。
Stock investment doesn't necessarily guarantee profits. -
人生とは必ずしも良いことばかりとは限らない。自分の思う通りにならない時だっていくらでもある。
Life isn't always smooth sailing. There are plenty of times when things don't go the way you hope.
Summary
- Used to indicate exceptions and uncertainty about generalizations
- Commonly paired with 必ずしも to emphasize 'not absolutely or always'
- Can attach to verbs, i-adjectives, and na-adjectives in plain form