N2 — outside your level filter
に限って
にかぎってni kagitteN2neutral
of all times/people — ironic bad luck, or a total denial
今日に限って傘持ってくるの忘れたよ。
kyou ni kagitte kasa motte kuru no wasureta yo.
Of all days, I forgot to bring my umbrella today. casual
あの真面目な田中さんに限って、遅刻するはずがない。
ano majime na tanaka-san ni kagitte, chikoku suru hazu ga nai.
Of all people, someone as conscientious as Tanaka would never be late. 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
- でしかないis nothing but; amounts to no more thanattaches at
- 以外other than; except forattaches at
- に過ぎないis no more than; merelyattaches at
- のみonly; nothing but (written)attaches at
- 抜きでwithout X; leaving X outattaches at
- を除いて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 examples4
of all times/people — ironically, the worst moment is exactly now
今日に限って傘持ってくるの忘れたよ。
kyou ni kagitte kasa motte kuru no wasureta yo.
Of all days, I forgot to bring my umbrella today. casual
急いでいる時に限って、電車が遅れる。
isoide iru toki ni kagitte, densha ga okureru.
Wouldn't you know it, the train runs late exactly when I'm in a hurry. neutral
に限って〜ない — of all people, X would never do that
あの真面目な田中さんに限って、遅刻するはずがない。
ano majime na tanaka-san ni kagitte, chikoku suru hazu ga nai.
Of all people, someone as conscientious as Tanaka would never be late. neutral
弊社の社員に限って、そのような不正を行うことはございません。
heisha no shain ni kagitte, sono you na fusei o okonau koto wa gozaimasen.
None of our employees, of all people, would ever engage in that kind of misconduct. formal