Both 〜うえに and 〜ばかりか mean “in addition” or “not only.” The difference matters: 〜うえに requires matching polarity (positive+positive or negative+negative), while 〜ばかりか adds surprise (the second fact is more extreme than the first). The JLPT loves to write a sentence with mixed polarity to trip you up.
1. Conjugation
| Pattern | Verbs | い-adj | な-adj | Nouns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| うえに | plain + うえに | plain + うえに | な/だった + うえに | N + のうえに |
| ばかりか | plain + ばかりか | plain + ばかりか | な + ばかりか | N + ばかりか |
2. The Polarity Rule (うえに)
- ✅ 安いうえにおいしい (positive + positive)
- ✅ 高いうえにまずい (negative + negative)
- ❌ 安いうえにまずい (mixed) — sounds wrong; use 〜けど instead
3. The Surprise Rule (ばかりか)
「子供ばかりか大人まで楽しめる」 — adults are unexpectedly included.
「彼は英語ばかりか中国語も話せる」 — Chinese is the unexpected upgrade.
The まで or も in the second clause amplifies the surprise.
4. The だけでなく Comparison
〜だけでなく is the neutral version — no surprise required, no polarity restriction. 〜ばかりか is its more dramatic, literary cousin.
5. The 5-Sentence Drill
- このカフェは安いうえに、雰囲気もいい。
- 道に迷ったうえに、雨まで降ってきた。
- 彼は日本語ばかりか、韓国語も話せる。
- 子供ばかりか、お年寄りにも人気だ。
- 親切なうえに、料理も上手だ。
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Frequently Asked Questions
‘In addition’ with same polarity required.
‘Not only X but also unexpectedly Y’.
だけでなく is neutral; ばかりか adds surprise/literary tone.
Polarity-rule lessons with trap drills.