密輸みつゆ品ひんは麻薬まやくだけでなく、武器ぶきも含ふくまれていた。
The smuggled goods included not only drugs, but also weapons.

So, what’s the deal with 「だけでなく」? Peep this: it means “not only… but also.” It’s all about addin’ that extra flavor, lettin’ people know there’s more to the story. You ain’t just a one-trick pony; you got layers, ya dig? When you drop a 「だけでなく」, you’re tellin’ ’em, “Hold up, that ain’t all.” It adds weight and emphasizes that the second part is just as, if not more, important. It’s like you’re layin’ down one fact and then hittin’ ’em with another, bigger one. Pow!

Now let’s get into the guts of this thing, the real mechanics. That で you see in では ain’t the particle で you use for locations. Nah, this で is the conjunctive form of the copula だ (the “is/am/are” joint). It’s a shapeshifter. And that は? That’s just for emphasis, and cats on the street get lazy with it. Sometimes they drop it completely and just say でなく. Other times, for an even smoother flow, they’ll mash it all together into じゃなく. It all means the same thing. And here’s some real inside info: that なく is the conjunctive form of the い-Adjective ない. Technically, it should be なくて, but in the real world, that て gets ghosted. It’s omitted ‘cause it’s quicker, cleaner. We just say なく. That’s how it is on the streets.

---

Here’s the 411 on how you hook this grammar up.

Word Type	How to Connect	Example	English Translation
Noun	Noun + だけでなく	彼かれは金かねだけでなく、力ちからも持もっている。	He has not only money, but also power.
な-Adjective	な-Adjective + な + だけでなく	この仕事しごとは危険きけんなだけでなく、給料きゅうりょうも安やすい。	This job is not only dangerous, but also the pay is cheap.
い-Adjective	い-Adjective + だけでなく	あの車くるまは速はやいだけでなく、防弾ぼうだん仕様しようでもあります。	That car is not only fast,but it is also bullet proof.
Verb (Plain Form)	Verb + だけでなく	彼かれは盗ぬすむだけでなく、証拠しょうこも消けしてしまう。	He not only steals, but also gets rid of the evidence.

Alright, so let’s break it down. It’s simple, for real. For nouns, you just slap 「だけでなく」 right after it. Easy money. For your な-adjectives, you gotta keep that 「な」 before you add the 「だけでなく」. Don’t be sloppy and forget it. For い-adjectives and verbs, you just stick with the plain dictionary form and toss 「だけでなく」 on the end. Just remember, what comes after 「だけでなく」 often has a 「も」 (mo) to really bang home that “also” vibe.

---

Think of it like this: you’re counting your cash. You got a fat stack of yen, right? That’s cool. But then you pull out a briefcase full of diamonds. See? The money was dope, but the diamonds take it to a whole other level. 「だけでなく」 is that briefcase full of diamonds. It’s the “but also” that makes everyone in the room shut up and listen. It connects two things, showin’ that you’re not just dealin’ with A, you’re also rockin’ with B, and B is the real kicker.

---

Check out this new vocabulary that’ll have you soundin’ like a true G.

違法 (いほう)

English: Illegal; unlawful.

Aight, check it. “Ihou” is anything that ain’t sanctioned by the suits and the badges. We talkin’ contraband, off-the-books operations, the kinda hustle the Feds are always sweatin’ you for. If you’re movin’ in the shadows, makin’ plays that the system don’t approve of, you’re deep in the “ihou” game. It’s the lifeblood of the underworld, the code of the streets. Stayin’ one step ahead of the law, that’s the whole damn mission.

---

爆弾 (ばくだん)

English: Bomb.

Yo, listen up. A “bakudan” is the ultimate problem-solver, the final word in any negotiation. You got beef? Someone tryin’ to move in on your territory? You drop a “bakudan,” and the whole situation changes. It ain’t just about the explosion; it’s about the message. It’s that show of force, that raw power that says you ain’t to be messed with. It’s the kinda heat that makes cats think twice before they cross you.

---

証人 (しょうにん)

English: Witness.

A “shounin” is the cat who saw it all go down. They’re the one person who can connect you to the scene, the loose end that can unravel the whole operation. In the streets, there’s a sayin’: “snitches get stitches.” That’s ’cause a “shounin” is a liability, a risk to the whole crew. You either make sure they’re on your side, or you make sure they keep their mouth shut, permanently. Their word can be the difference between walkin’ free and a life sentence.

---

意地悪 (いじわる)

English: Malicious; mean-spirited.

“Ijiwaru” is that hater mentality, that crab-in-a-barrel vibe. It’s the snake in the grass, the one who smiles in your face but is schemin’ behind your back. They’re the type to drop a dime on you for no reason, just to see you fall. It ain’t about business, it ain’t about territory; it’s just pure, uncut hateration. This is that petty beef, the unnecessary drama that can poison the whole block. You gotta watch your circle and cut these types out, for real.

---

顔が利く (かお が きく)

English: To have influence; to be well-connected.

When your “kao ga kiku,” your face is your credit card. It means you got pull, you got juice. You walk into a room, and people know who you are. Doors open up, strings get pulled, and favors get done, all because of your reputation. You’re the shot-caller, the OG that everyone respects. You don’t gotta raise your voice; your presence is enough. It’s about that clout, that network you built from the ground up. That’s real power.

---

Here are some lines you can drop to show you mean business.

敵てきの組くみは人数にんずうが多おおいだけでなく、装備そうびも最新さいしんだ。
The rival gang not only has a lot of members, but their equipment is also state-of-the-art.

彼かれは運転うんてんがうまいだけでなく、どんな車くるまでも盗ぬすめる。
He’s not only a good driver, but he can also steal any car.

あの弁護士べんごしは法律ほうりつに詳くわしいだけでなく、裏うら社会しゃかいにも顔かおが利きく。
That lawyer is not only knowledgeable about the law, but he also has connections in the underworld.

新あたらしい仲間なかまは日本語にほんごだけでなく、イタリア語ごも話はなせる。
The new guy can speak not only Japanese, but also Italian.

我々われわれのボスは頭あたまがいいだけでなく、腕うでっ節ぷしも強つよい。
Our boss is not only smart, but he’s also a strong fighter.

この刑務所けいむしょは食事しょくじがまずいだけでなく、看守かんしゅも意地悪いじわるだ。
In this prison, not only is the food nasty, but the guards are mean too.

警察けいさつは証拠しょうこを見みつけただけでなく、証人しょうにんも見みつけた。
The cops not only found evidence, they also found a witness.

兄貴あにきは拳銃けんじゅうだけでなく、爆弾ばくだんの作つくり方かたも教おしえてくれた。
My big bro taught me not only how to use a gun, but also how to make a bomb.

うちの組くみはレストランだけでなく、カジノも経営けいえいしている。
Our organization runs not only restaurants, but casinos too.

この取引とりひきは危険きけんなだけでなく、違法いほうだ。
This deal is not only dangerous, but it’s also illegal.

---

Aight, that’s a wrap for today. Practice this stuff, make it your own, and pretty soon, you’ll be makin’ moves. Stay sharp.