connective N1 uncommon writtenliterary
に留まらず — not limited to
に留まらず ・ にとどまらず
Meaning
- not limited to / not stopping at ~ (but extending further) — the matter spreads beyond the named scope; formal/written
Key sentence
被害は一地域に留まらず、全国に広がった。
The damage was not confined to one region but spread nationwide.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun or plain form | N／普通形 + に留まらず |
Examples
彼の活動は国内に留まらず、海外にも及んでいる。
His activities are not limited to within the country but extend overseas as well.
問題は個人に留まらず、社会全体に関わる。
The problem does not stop at the individual but concerns society as a whole.
Easily confused with
だけでなく だけでなく is the everyday 'not only ~ but also'. に留まらず is its formal/written equivalent, stressing that the matter spreads beyond a boundary. ばかりか ばかりか escalates to a surprising further item. に留まらず stresses extension past a named limit or scope. に限らず に限らず opens a category ('not limited to ~, but applies more widely'). に留まらず stresses that an effect or range spreads outward beyond a starting point.
Notes
- Formal; used of spreading scope, effects, or activities.
See に留まらず in real sentences
Jengo shows に留まらず the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.