How do we tell if ばかり means "about" or "only"?


If [ばかり](http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/%7Ejwb/cgi-
bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1MUE%E3%81%B0%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A) could mean **approximately;
about;** and could also mean **only; merely; nothing but;** , then how should
we know if this sentence **５０００円ばかりもっている。** means:

>   1. I have about 5000 yen.
>

or

>   2. I have only 5000 yen.
>




  1. ばかり after **an amount or a quantity** means 'approximately', 'about':

> ５０００円ばかりもっている。→ I have **about** 5,000 yen.
>
> 僕はここ３年ばかりあの人に会わない。→ I haven't seen him for about three years.

  2. The sense of 'only', 'just' works **after a verb** :

> 列車はたった今ついたばかりです。→ The train has just arrived here.

or a **noun/pronoun** (not indicating a quantity):

> あの人は勉強 ばかりしていて... → All he does is study

Note that ばかりに, ばかりか etc. also exist and work differently.

As @Scott just pointed out, in your example, you would use だけ or しか
(+negative) to mean "only".




  1. ばかり after **an amount or a quantity** means 'approximately', 'about':

> ５０００円ばかりもっている。→ I have **about** 5,000 yen.
>
> 僕はここ３年ばかりあの人に会わない。→ I haven't seen him for about three years.

  2. The sense of 'only', 'just' works **after a verb** :

> 列車はたった今ついたばかりです。→ The train has just arrived here.

or a **noun/pronoun** (not indicating a quantity):

> あの人は勉強 ばかりしていて... → All he does is study

Note that ばかりに, ばかりか etc. also exist and work differently.

As @Scott just pointed out, in your example, you would use だけ or しか
(+negative) to mean "only".

