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만 vs 뿐

Intermediate · TOPIK II

Both mean 'only'. 만 is a flexible particle that attaches to nouns anywhere in the sentence and can stack with other particles; 뿐 mostly comes before 이다 (N뿐이다) or in 뿐만 아니라, not directly before an ordinary verb.

만A postpositional particle used when limiting the field to one thing, excluding all the others.뿐A postpositional particle used when there is nothing more than the content of the preceding statement or when it is only so.

Rules of thumb

  • In ordinary sentences with a verb, use 만 (물만 마셨어요 'I only drank water').
  • To end with 'that's all there is': N뿐이다 (가진 건 이것뿐이에요 'This is all I have') — firmer than N만 있어요.
  • 뿐 can't sit directly before a verb the way 만 can (* 물뿐 마셨어요).
  • N뿐만 아니라 = 'not only N but also'; 만 has no such pattern.
  • 만 combines with other particles (에서만, 한테만, 만은); 뿐 is much more limited.

Example sentences

  • 만

    Yesterday I drank nothing but water all day.

  • 뿐

    You're the only one I can trust.

  • 어제는 하루 종일 물뿐 마셨어요.

    Incorrect

    Yesterday I only drank water. [Wrong: 'ppun' can't go right before an ordinary verb; use 'man']

  • 뿐

    This is all the money I have right now.

  • 만

    This restaurant is only open on weekends.

Often confused with

← All confused pairs