～に過ぎない (〜ni suginai)
Explanation
Expresses that something is 'just' or 'nothing more than'; 'merely', 'only', 'simply'.
Formation
Verb-casual + に過ぎない, い-Adjective + に過ぎない, な-Adjective + に過ぎない, Noun + に過ぎない
Detailed Explanation
The ～に過ぎない grammar point is used to indicate that something is 'just' or 'nothing more than' the stated quality or condition. It implies that the thing is not as significant or important as it might seem at first glance. This grammar point can be translated as 'merely', 'only', or 'simply' in English. It can be used with verbs, い-adjectives, な-adjectives, and nouns.
Examples
彼の失敗はミスに過ぎない。
Kare no shippai wa misu ni suginai.
His failure is nothing more than a mistake.
この試験は簡単な問題に過ぎない。
Kono shiken wa kantan na mondai ni suginai.
This test is nothing more than a simple question.
彼女は友達に過ぎない。
Kanojo wa tomodachi ni suginai.
She is nothing more than a friend.
その発言は冗談に過ぎない。
Sono hatsugen wa joudan ni suginai.
That remark is nothing more than a joke.
Grammar content sourced from hanabira.org.