modality N1 uncommon casualwritten
〜くらいのものだ — ~ is about the only one/extent
〜くらいのものだ ・ くらいのものだ
Meaning
- ~ is about the only one / about the extent of it — singles out a lone case as the only thing that qualifies, often dismissively
Key sentence
こんな時間に電話してくるのは、彼くらいのものだ。
He's about the only one who'd call at this hour.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (the lone qualifying case) | N + くらいのものだ |
Examples
文句ばかり言って、口が達者なのは君くらいのものだ。
You're about the only one all talk and full of complaints.
今どきこの値段で買えるのは、この店くらいのものだろう。
This shop is about the only place you can buy it at this price these days.
Easily confused with
〜だけ だけ neutrally limits ('only'). くらいのものだ adds the nuance 'about the only one (worth mentioning)', often slightly dismissive or exasperated. しかない しかない states a plain 'there's only ~'. くらいのものだ frames a single case as 'about the only thing that fits', as a verdict. ぐらい Built on ぐらい/くらい; here the fixed くらいのものだ means 'about the only one', not a bare approximate amount.
See 〜くらいのものだ in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜くらいのものだ the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.