とは限らない details
Examples
not necessarily; not always — denies that a generalization holds in every case, leaving room for exceptions
高いからっておいしいとは限らないよ。
takai karatte oishii to wa kagiranai yo.
Just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's tasty. casual
有名な大学を出たからといって、仕事ができるとは限らない。
yuumei na daigaku o deta kara to itte, shigoto ga dekiru to wa kagiranai.
Just because someone graduated from a famous university doesn't mean they're good at their job. neutral
必ずしも、価格が高い商品が品質に優れているとは限りません。
kanarazushimo, kakaku ga takai shouhin ga hinshitsu ni sugurete iru to wa kagirimasen.
It is not necessarily the case that expensive products are superior in quality. formal
Formation
plain clause + とは限らないattaches to plain clause
Notes
can drop in written style (安全とは限らない). Often paired with
必ずしも, and very often with からといって, as above.
Related patterns
Similar
Both hedge a generalization, but わけではない denies that THIS specific case follows from a stated premise (a local pushback), while とは限らない denies that a generalization holds universally, leaving room for exceptions across cases rather than rejecting one inference.
Same meaning
not necessarily; not always
| Pattern | Attaches to |
|---|---|
| わけではない |