に限らず【にかぎらず】

に限らず (にかぎらず) means "not limited to", "not just", or "not only… but also". It is used to express that something is not restricted to a particular scope – it applies more broadly than the stated noun or category.

This expression comes from the verb かぎる限る (かぎる, "to limit") in its negative form, combined with the particle に. It is used in written and semi-formal spoken Japanese.

Basic Usage

Attach に限らず to a noun to indicate that what follows applies not only to that noun but also to other things.

With paired or contrasting nouns

に限らず is used with pairs of contrasting nouns (A に限らず B も) to emphasize that something spans across categories.

Comparison with だけでなく

に限らず and だけでなく are similar in meaning, but に限らず is more formal and tends to emphasize the broadness of scope. だけでなく is more flexible and can attach to verbs and adjectives as well, whereas に限らず typically attaches to nouns.