only, merely, nothing but, no more than
just (finished, etc.)
Verb +
Attached to different verb forms to indicate that someone is ready to do an action, is doing nothing but an action, or has just completed an action.
Verb Dictionary Form +
Used with the dictionary form (informal nonpast) of a verb to mean 'be ready to do something' or 'just about to'. It shows that all preparations are complete and only the final action remains.
あとは寝る
I am just ready to sleep.
Verb て form +
Used with the て form of a verb to mean 'doing nothing but' or 'be just doing'. It is very frequently followed by いる to describe an ongoing state.
彼は遊んで
He does nothing but play.
Verb た form +
Used with the past tense (た form) of a verb to mean 'have just done something'. It indicates that an action was completed very recently.
昼ご飯を食べた
I have just eaten lunch.
When used with the Verb て form, this grammar point often carries a critical or negative nuance, implying that someone is spending entirely too much time doing one specific thing while neglecting other important things.
Adjective +
Attached to adjectives to mean that something is 'just' or 'merely' a certain state, often implying that it lacks any other notable qualities.
い-Adjective +
Attached directly to the dictionary form of an い-Adjective.
この車は高い
This car is just expensive.
な-Adjective + な +
Attached to the stem of a な-Adjective followed by な.
その服は派手な
Those clothes are merely flashy.
When used with adjectives, it is frequently followed by the particle で to create a contrast, such as expressing that something is 'merely expensive, but not actually good'.
Noun +
Attached to nouns or a noun plus a particle to indicate 'only', 'merely', or 'nothing but' that specific thing.
Noun +
Attached directly to a noun to show that only that item is present or involved.
肉
Please do not eat only meat.
Noun + Particle +
Attached after a particle to emphasize 'only to', 'only with', or 'only at' that noun.
妹と
I am playing only with my younger sister.
When using structural particles like が or を, they are usually replaced entirely by
Quantifier +
Attached to words representing amounts, time, or distance to mean 'about' or 'approximately'.
Used directly after a number and counter.
三日
I will rest for about three days.
Using this grammar point to mean 'about' or 'approximately' with quantities sounds slightly old-fashioned or literary. In everyday modern Japanese, words like くらい or ほど are much more commonly used for this purpose.