～にすぎない

About

～にすぎない expresses that something is "nothing more than X", and is mainly used to diminish something's value/quantity or to express that it isn't important.

"X is nothing more than.../X is a mere.../X is only.../X is just..." are common translations of ～にすぎない.

～にすぎない is stiff in tone and is mainly used in polite or formal scenarios. It is occasionally used in casual contexts, but still sounds a bit stiff.

～にすぎない most commonly attaches to casual form verbs or nouns, and more rarely, to な-adjectives. In some rare situations, it may attach to い-adjectives.

E.g. 人ひとの真似まねをしたにすぎませんよ。 "They simply imitated them."

E.g. 私わたしはただ手伝てつだっただけにすぎませんよ。マイクさんがほとんどやってくださったんです。 "I simply helped. It was Mike who did the majority of it."

E.g. ラッピングがきれいであるにすぎない。中身なかみは全まったく美味おいしくなかった。 "The wrapping is nice, but that's it. What's inside isn't tasty at all."

Summary

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  ～にすぎない expresses that something is "nothing more than X"

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  ～にすぎない is stiff in tone and is mainly used in polite or formal scenarios

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  ～にすぎない most commonly attaches to casual form verbs or nouns