Understanding ~しか~ない (~shika ~nai): A Streetwise JLPT N4 Grammar Guide

shika nai

銃弾じゅうだんはあといっはつしかのこっていない。
I only have one bullet left.

Category: ,

Today we’re gettin’ into some real slick grammar: Number + しか〜ない. Now, this ain’t your average “no more than” business. It’s got that extra flavor, that gangster lean. It’s all about a limit, a small amount, and the vibe is that it’s “only this much and nothin’ else.”

The real juice of this grammar is the feelin’ behind it. When you use しか, you’re not just statin’ a number. You’re sayin’ that the amount is disappointin’ly small. It’s like you got short-changed. You roll up to a deal, expectin’ a fat stack, and the dude only hands you two grand. You ain’t gonna say “I have two thousand dollars.” You gonna say, “I only got two thousand dollars.” That’s the vibe. It implies a sense of lack, a scarcity that ain’t sittin’ right with you.


Yo, peep this table to see how we conjugate this fire grammar. It’s simple, so you ain’t gonna mess it up.

GrammarJapanese ExampleEnglish Translation
Number + しか + verb in negative form兄貴
あにき

かね
しか
しん
じない。
Big bro only believes in money.
Noun + しか + verb in negative form警察
けいさつ
証拠
しょうこ
しか
ない。
The cops only look at evidence.

Straight up, the conjugation is slicker than a fresh pair of kicks. You just slap しか right after the number or the thing you’re talkin’ about. But the real key, the part you can’t forget, is that the verb at the end has to be in its negative form. No matter what. So, if you’re talkin’ about havin’ something, you don’t say あります, you say ありません. If you’re talkin’ about eatin’ somethin’, you don’t say 食べます, you say 食べません. It’s that negative form that seals the deal and gives it that “only” or “just” feelin’. It’s like the “no” that makes the “only” possible.


Think of this grammar like a crew roll call before a job. You got ten spots on the crew, but only two of your homies show up. You don’t just say, “Two guys are here.” You say, “Only two guys showed up.” You’re pissed, right? The expected amount was ten, but the reality is a measly two. The “しか〜ない” is that feelin’ of disappointment, that sense of a job that might not go down because you’re short on muscle. It’s a statement of fact, but it comes with a whole lotta attitude and a hint of trouble.


Alright, fam, time to get ya schooled on some new words.

命 (いのち)

English: Life.

This ain’t about some fancy-pants biology class. This is about your very existence. The breath in your lungs, the blood pumpin’ through your veins. In this game, your life is the most valuable thing you got. You gotta protect it at all costs, ’cause once it’s gone, it’s a wrap. No do-overs, no respawns.


選択肢 (せんたくし)

English: Choice; option.

Every move you make, every path you take, is a choice. You can roll with the crew or you can ride solo. You can stay in the streets or you can try to go legit. The options are laid out in front of you, but you gotta be sharp enough to pick the right one. One bad decision and you’re out.


見張り (みはり)

English: Lookout; watchman.

Someone’s gotta be on watch, G. You can’t be caught slippin’. The lookout is the eyes and ears for the whole operation. They stand guard, keep an eye on the street, and make sure no heat is comin’ our way. It’s a key role, ’cause if they miss somethin’, we all pay the price.


抗争 (こうそう)

English: Conflict; gang war.

When two crews got a problem they can’t squash, that’s when a conflict goes down. It’s a gang war for territory, for respect, for the whole hustle. It’s not pretty, it gets real ugly out here. You gotta be ready to stand your ground and fight for what’s yours when the beef gets hot.


生き残れる (いき のこれる)

English: To be able to survive.

In this world, it’s a jungle out there. You ain’t just livin’, you gotta survive. The weak get chewed up and spit out. The strong can survive. It’s about bein’ smart, stayin’ a step ahead, and havin’ the grit to make it through the toughest situations. It’s a skill, and not everybody got it.


Here are some real G-level sentences to help ya get this grammar straight. Peep the examples, they all about that life.


いのち

ひと
つしかない。
You only live once.


じゅう

ひと
つしかなかった。
There was only one gun.

その仕事
しごと
新人
しんじん
には5
まん
えん
しか
わた
せない。
For that job, I can only give the new guy 50,000 yen.

その情報
じょうほう
仲間
なかま
しか
らない。
Only my homies know that information.


おれ
たちには選択肢
せんたくし

ひと
つしかなかった。
We only had one option.

ボスは
おれ

うことしか
かない。
The boss only listens to what I say.

今日きょう見張みはりの人数にんずうたりしかいなかった。
Today, there were only two people on watch.

昨日きのう抗争こうそうで、おれたちは3にんしか怪我けがをしなかった。
In yesterday’s conflict, only three of us were injured.

このゲームは
つよ
いやつしかのこれない。
In this game, only the strong can survive.


おれ
にはお
まえ
しかいない。
I only have you.


That’s the word. Don’t be a clown, remember this lesson, and stay on that grind. I’m out.

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