-뿐(이다) - Only/Just | Korean Grammar Documentation

-뿐 is a bound noun meaning "only" or "just," used to limit or restrict to a specific amount, action, or state. It functions differently from the particle -만 but often has similar meaning.

Structure

Modifier + -뿐(이다)

Forms:

Noun modifier + -뿐
Verb stem + -(으)ㄴ/는 + -뿐
Quantity + -뿐

Note: -뿐 is a bound noun, so it needs a modifier before it

Basic Forms

With Nouns

Noun + 인 + -뿐:

이것뿐이에요 (It's only this)
하나뿐이에요 (It's only one)
너뿐이야 (It's only you)

Structure: Noun + (이)ㄴ + 뿐

With Quantities

Number + -뿐:

하나뿐 (only one)
두 개뿐 (only two)
세 명뿐 (only three people)
천 원뿐 (only 1,000 won)

With Verbs

Verb stem + -(으)ㄴ/는 + -뿐:

갈 뿐이에요 (only going)
본 것뿐이에요 (only saw)
하는 것뿐이에요 (only doing)

As Predicate: -뿐이다

Basic Predicate Form

[Modifier] + 뿐이다:

이것뿐이다 (It's only this)
농담뿐이다 (It's only a joke)
말뿐이다 (It's only words)

Conjugations:

Present: 뿐이다 / 뿐이에요 / 뿐입니다
Past: 뿐이었다 / 뿐이었어요
Future: 뿐일 것이다 / 뿐일 거예요

Examples as Predicate

Statements:

농담뿐이에요 (It's only a joke)
시작뿐이에요 (It's only the beginning)
한 번뿐이었어요 (It was only once)

-뿐 vs -만

Similarities

Both mean "only":

이것만 (only this - particle)
이것뿐 (only this - bound noun)

Often interchangeable:

하나만 있어요 = 하나뿐이에요 (There's only one)

Differences

Grammatical function:

-만: Particle (attaches to nouns)
-뿐: Bound noun (needs modifier)

Usage pattern:

-만 + verb: 물만 마셔요 (Drink only water)
-뿐이다: 물뿐이에요 (There's only water)

Formality:

-만: More common in speech
-뿐: Slightly more formal/written

Common Patterns

-(으)ㄴ/는 것뿐이다

"It's only that...":

본 것뿐이에요 (It's only that I saw)
들은 것뿐이에요 (It's only that I heard)
말한 것뿐이에요 (It's only that I said)

Usage: Downplaying or limiting scope of action

-(으)ㄹ 뿐이다

Future/intention limitation:

갈 뿐이에요 (Will only go)
할 뿐이에요 (Will only do)
볼 뿐이에요 (Will only see)

-는 것뿐이다

Present ongoing limitation:

하는 것뿐이에요 (It's only doing)
가는 것뿐이에요 (It's only going)
사는 것뿐이에요 (It's only living)

With Negative: -뿐만 아니라

Pattern: Not only... but also

A뿐만 아니라 B도:

예쁠뿐만 아니라 착해요 (Not only pretty but also kind)
비쌀뿐만 아니라 맛없어요 (Not only expensive but also tasteless)

Structure: [Modifier] + 뿐만 아니라

Meaning: Adds additional information beyond what was mentioned

Examples

Adding qualities:

한국어뿐만 아니라 영어도 해요 (Speak not only Korean but also English)
공부뿐만 아니라 운동도 해요 (Not only study but also exercise)

Time Expressions

Limited time

Once only:

한 번뿐이에요 (Only once)
한 번뿐인 기회 (One-time only opportunity)

Duration

Short period:

하루뿐이에요 (Only one day)
일주일뿐이에요 (Only one week)

Quantity Expressions

Numbers with -뿐

Limited quantity:

하나뿐이에요 (There's only one)
두 개뿐이에요 (There's only two)
조금뿐이에요 (There's only a little)

Emphasizing scarcity

Single item:

이것뿐이에요 (There's only this)
마지막 하나뿐이에요 (Only the last one)

Adverbial Use: -뿐

Modifying verbs

Used adverbially:

보기뿐 해요 (Only look - don't touch)
듣기뿐 했어요 (Only listened)

Pattern: Verb + -기뿐

Common Expressions

말뿐이다 (Only words)

Empty promises:

말뿐이에요 (It's only words - no action)
말뿐인 사람 (Person who only talks)

이름뿐이다 (In name only)

Nominal only:

사장은 이름뿐이에요 (President in name only)

한 번뿐인 (Only once)

One-time opportunity:

한 번뿐인 인생 (Life that comes only once)
한 번뿐인 기회 (One-time opportunity)

Formality Levels

Casual

Informal endings:

이것뿐이야 (It's only this)
하나뿐이야 (It's only one)

Polite

-요 form:

이것뿐이에요 (It's only this)
하나뿐이에요 (It's only one)

Formal

Formal endings:

이것뿐입니다 (It's only this)
하나뿐입니다 (It's only one)

Past and Future Forms

Past: -뿐이었다

Was only:

농담뿐이었어요 (It was only a joke)
한 번뿐이었어요 (It was only once)
시작뿐이었어요 (It was only the beginning)

Future: -뿐일 것이다

Will be only:

시작뿐일 거예요 (It will be only the beginning)
이것뿐일 거예요 (It will be only this)

Modifier Forms

Adjective + -ㄴ/은 + -뿐

With adjectives:

좋은 것뿐이에요 (It's only good things)
나쁜 것뿐이에요 (It's only bad things)

Verb + -는 + -뿐

With verbs (present):

가는 것뿐이에요 (It's only going)
먹는 것뿐이에요 (It's only eating)

Verb + -(으)ㄴ + -뿐

With verbs (past):

본 것뿐이에요 (It's only what I saw)
들은 것뿐이에요 (It's only what I heard)

Emphasis Patterns

그것뿐 (Only that)

Limiting to one thing:

그것뿐이에요 (That's all / Only that)
이것뿐이에요 (This is all / Only this)

딱 하나뿐 (Exactly only one)

Emphasizing uniqueness:

딱 하나뿐인 사람 (The one and only person)
딱 한 번뿐인 기회 (The one and only chance)

Literary/Written Style

Formal writing

More common in writing:

그의 꿈뿐이었다 (It was only his dream)
시작에 불과할뿐이다 (It's merely the beginning)

Poetic expressions

Literary usage:

사랑뿐인 세상 (A world of only love)
너뿐인 나 (Me who has only you)

Negative Contexts

With negative verbs

Can combine with negatives:

이것뿐이 아니에요 (It's not only this)
한 번뿐이 아니었어요 (It wasn't only once)

Structure: -뿐이 아니다 (It's not only)

Idiomatic Usage

있는 것뿐 (All there is)

Everything available:

있는 것뿐이에요 (That's all there is)
가진 것뿐이에요 (It's all I have)

할 수 있는 것뿐 (All one can do)

Limited ability:

할 수 있는 것뿐이에요 (It's all I can do)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 뿐 있어요 (no modifier)

Missing required modifier

✅ Correct: 이것뿐이에요

Proper modifier + 뿐

❌ Incorrect: 하나뿐 있어요 (wrong verb)

Incorrect verb choice

✅ Correct: 하나뿐이에요

Proper copula 이다

❌ Incorrect: 물뿐 마셔요 (wrong structure)

Incorrect combination

✅ Correct: 물만 마셔요 OR 마시는 것뿐이에요

Use -만 with action, or restructure with -뿐

Summary Table

Pattern	Structure	Example	Meaning
Predicate	Noun + (이)ㄴ 뿐이다	이것뿐이에요	It's only this
Quantity	Number + 뿐	하나뿐이에요	There's only one
Past action	V-(으)ㄴ 것뿐	본 것뿐이에요	Only saw
Present action	V-는 것뿐	하는 것뿐이에요	Only doing
Not only	A뿐만 아니라 B	예쁠뿐만 아니라 착해요	Not only pretty but also kind
Time	Time + 뿐	한 번뿐이에요	Only once
Emphasis	딱 + N + 뿐	딱 하나뿐	Exactly only one
Past state	N(이)ㄴ 뿐이었다	농담뿐이었어요	It was only a joke