N3 — outside your level filter

でしかない

でしかないde shika naiN3neutral

でしかない

is nothing but; amounts to no more than

それは言いい訳わけでしかない。

sore wa iiwake de shika nai.

That is nothing but an excuse. neutral

この成功せいこうは始はじまりでしかない。

kono seikou wa hajimari de shika nai.

This success is nothing but the beginning. neutral

Same meaning14

only; nothing but

ばかりnothing but; only everattaches at
ばかりでなくnot only ... (but also)attaches at
だけonly; justattaches at
だけでなくnot only ... (but also)attaches at
以外いがいother than; except forattaches at
に限かぎってof all times/people — ironic bad luck, or a total denialattaches at
に過すぎないis no more than; merelyattaches at
のみonly; nothing but (written)attaches at
抜ぬきでwithout X; leaving X outattaches at
を除のぞいてwith the exception of; excludingattaches at
さえeven N (weaker cases hold too)attaches at
さえ〜ばif only ...; all it takes is ...attaches at
しか〜ないnothing but; no more than (with negative)attaches at
てばかりいるdoes nothing but do X (habitual excess, disapproving)attaches at

All examples5

is nothing but — denies it any identity beyond the one named

それは言いい訳わけでしかない。
sore wa iiwake de shika nai.
That is nothing but an excuse. neutral
この成功せいこうは始はじまりでしかない。
kono seikou wa hajimari de shika nai.
This success is nothing but the beginning. neutral
この議論ぎろんを続つづけても無駄むだでしかない。
kono giron o tsuzukete mo muda de shika nai.
Carrying this argument on any further is nothing but a waste. neutral
そんなの、ただの偶然ぐうぜんでしかないよ。
sonna no, tada no guuzen de shika nai yo.
That's just a coincidence, nothing more. casual
今回こんかいの合意ごういは問題もんだいの先送さきおくりでしかないと考かんがえております。
konkai no goui wa mondai no sakiokuri de shika nai to kangaete orimasu.
We consider this agreement to be nothing but a postponement of the problem. formal

How it's formed2

All forms2

pastでしかなかったdeshikanakatta
politeでしかありませんdeshikaarimasen