GRAMMAR
〜に限って ②
someone like ~ (would never)
Explanation
NOTE
Sense ② of 〜に限って expresses strong trust — someone like X would never do such a thing.
我が子に限って、そんなことをするはずがない。
Of all people, my own child would never do such a thing.
Strong denial that the named person could be the kind to act this way.
NOTE
Unlike sense ① (only ~, just ~), sense ② attaches to a person and is followed by a negative clause.
NOTE
It reflects the speaker's belief about the person's character — unthinkable that they would.
STRUCTURE
N辞
に<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>って彼に限って、嘘をつくはずがない。
Kare ni kagitte, uso o tsuku hazu ga nai.
Someone like him would never tell a lie.
娘に限って、そんな嘘はつかない。
Musume ni kagitte, sonna uso wa tsukanai.
My daughter, of all people, wouldn't tell such a lie.
真面目な田中さんに限って、遅刻することはない。
Majime na Tanaka-san ni kagitte, chikoku suru koto wa nai.
Someone as serious as Tanaka-san would never be late.
Practice exercises
1
彼の失敗は別として、彼女に限って、嘘をつくことはない。
Apart from his mistakes, someone like her would never lie.
Answer
に限って
2
私たちのグループの中で、彼に限って、裏切るようなことはしない。
Among our group, someone like him would never betray us.
Answer
に限って
3
正義感の強い彼女に限って、不正を見過ごすはずがない。
Someone with such a strong sense of justice like her would never overlook injustice.
Answer
に限って
4
人望の厚い社長に限って、部下を見捨てるような真似はしないだろう。
Someone as well-respected as the president would never abandon his subordinates.
Answer
に限って
5
誠実な彼に限って、約束を破ろうとするはずがない。
Someone as sincere as him would never try to break a promise.
Answer
に限って