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N3

わけではない

It doesn't mean that, It is not the case, It's not like

私わたしの家いえは広ひろいわけではないけど、小ちいさくもない。

My house isn't exactly big, but it isn't small either.

Explanation

「~わけではない」 means 'it's not that...'. The listener may be thinking in black and white, and you gently correct it: there may be a tendency, but it is not always so. The tone is soft. It often goes with words like 「全部」, 「必ずしも」 and 「特に」: 「お酒が飲めないわけではないが、あまり好きではない」 (It's not that I can't drink, I just don't like it much). 「わけでもない」 is also used.

Mixed up with

「わけではない」 is a partial denial (not completely impossible). 「わけがない」 is a total denial (absolutely impossible). The feeling is very different.

「のではない」 denies the fact itself (I didn't do it). 「わけではない」 clears up a misunderstanding (it's not that I don't want to, but...).

In speech you often hear 「~わけじゃない」 and 「~わけじゃありません」.

Examples

  1. 仕事しごとが大変たいへんなわけではない。忙いそがしいだけ。

    It's not that my job is difficult, it's just busy.

  2. 熱ねつがあるわけではないけど、体からだがだるい。

    It's not that I have a fever, but I feel sluggish.

  3. A:「北海道ほっかいどうといえば、Cさんによれば一年中いちねんじゅう寒さむいらしい。」 B:「夏なつでも寒さむいわけではない。」

    A: 'Speaking of Hokkaido, according to C it is cold there all year long.' B: 'It doesn't mean it is cold even in summer.'

Tested 4 times in past papers

N2 · Dec 2024, Q38N1 · Dec 2019, Q43N2 · Dec 2017, Q48N2 · Dec 2010, Q37