Example Sentences#

1. 결국 남는 건 후회뿐이야¹
   Only regret remains in the end

   • 후회 means ‘regret’.
   • 뿐 is a particle meaning ‘only’ or ‘nothing but’.
   • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’, and 이야 is its casual conjugated form used in informal speech.
   • -뿐이다 is a structure used to express that the action or state is the only possibility or circumstance, often translated as ‘it is only’ or ‘it is nothing but’.

2. 그 끝엔 눈물의 바다뿐이었어²
   At the end, there was only an ocean of tears.

   • 바다 means ‘sea’ or ‘ocean’.
   • 뿐 is a particle meaning ‘only’ or ‘nothing but’.
   • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
   • -뿐이다 is a structure used to express that the action or state is the only possibility or circumstance, often translated as ‘it is only’ or ‘it is nothing but’.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.

3. 우린 그저 다른 감옥에 갇혔을 뿐²
   We were simply trapped in different prisons.

   • 뿐 is a bound noun meaning ‘only’ or ‘nothing but’.
   • -을 뿐이다 is a structure used to express that the action or state is the only possibility or circumstance, often translated as ‘it is only’ or ‘it is nothing but’. The copula 이다 (to be) is omitted here, which commonly occurs in informal, literary, or contrastive contexts where the meaning is inferable or the sentence continues.

4. 다른 선택은 없었을 뿐²
   We just had no other choice.

   • 뿐 is a bound noun meaning ‘only’ or ‘nothing but’.
   • -을 뿐이다 is a structure used to express that the action or state is the only possibility or circumstance, often translated as ‘it is only’ or ‘it is nothing but’. The copula 이다 (to be) is omitted here, which commonly occurs in informal, literary, or contrastive contexts where the meaning is inferable or the sentence continues.