〜とは限らない
JLPT N3:not necessarily
"Not necessarily": rejects a general assumption — it is often true, but not always.
How to form it
- Put the plain form before とは限らない: いいとは限らない.
- Nouns and な-adjectives can take だ: 日本人だとは限らない.
- It often comes with 必ず (always), いつも or 誰でも (anyone).
Examples
高いものがいいとは限らない。
Expensive things aren't necessarily good.
努力すれば必ず成功するとは限りません。
Hard work doesn't always lead to success.
Common mistakes
- Reading it as a flat denial. 高いものがいいとは限らない still allows that expensive things are often good.
Similar meaning
- 〜わけではないit's not that
"It's not that…": softens or partly denies.