必ずしも
Not always, Not entirely, Not necessarily
Structure
必ずしも + Phrase + とは限らない
必ずしも + Phrase + とは言えない
(1) わけじゃない
Explanation
While often treated as a single adverb, 必ずしも is actually a combination of the adverb 必ず, meaning 'always' or 'without fail', and the adverbial particles し and も. The particles し and も are frequently paired to add emphasis to the word they follow. As a result, the base meaning of 必ずしも is akin to 'absolutely, without a doubt'.
However, 必ずしも is a phrase used exclusively with negative sentence structures. Because of this, it is usually translated as 'not necessarily (A)', 'not always (A)', or 'not entirely (A)'. This conveys a meaning closer to 'it is not an absolute certainty that (A)'. 必ずしも is commonly placed at the beginning of a clause to show that something is not a universal truth.
- 先生の意見は必ずしも正しいわけではない。The teacher's opinion is not necessarily correct.
- テレビに出ている人たちは必ずしも親切だとは限らない。People who appear on TV are not always kind.
- 日本人は必ずしもお寿司が好きだとは言えない。You can't say that Japanese people necessarily love sushi.
Examples
お金持ちが必ずしも幸せなわけではない。
Rich people are not necessarily happy.
高いものが必ずしもいいとは限らない。
Expensive things are not always good.
話せるからといって、必ずしも書けるわけではない。
Just because you can speak it doesn't necessarily mean you can write it.
人気のあるレストランが必ずしもおいしいとは限らない。
Popular restaurants are not always delicious.
有名なブランドだからといって、必ずしも品質がいいわけではありません。
Just because it's a famous brand does not necessarily mean the quality is good.
多数派の意見が必ずしも正しいとは限りません。
The majority opinion is not always correct.
一生懸命勉強したからといって、必ずしも試験に合格するわけではない。
Studying hard does not necessarily mean you will pass the exam.
便利なものが必ずしも体にいいわけではない。
Convenient things are not necessarily good for your health.
目に見えるものが必ずしも真実だとは限らない。
What you see is not always the truth.
大人が必ずしも正しい判断をするわけではない。
Adults do not always make the right decisions.
古い本だからといって、必ずしもつまらないとは限らない。
Just because a book is old does not necessarily mean it is boring.
褒められたからといって、必ずしも嬉しいわけではありません。
Just because you are praised does not always mean you will be happy.