Unit 30: Nothing More Than (-에 불과하다)

Congratulations on reaching the final lesson of Easy Korean Level 7! Our final advanced grammar point is -에 불과하다. It means "it is nothing more than..." or "it is merely...".

Structure

Noun + -에 불과하다

• 소문 -> 소문에 불과하다 (It is nothing more than a rumor)
• 변명 -> 변명에 불과하다 (It is merely an excuse)

(To use a verb, turn it into a noun: Verb + -는 것에 불과하다)

Usage

It emphasizes that the subject is small, insignificant, or not as big of a deal as people might think. It is a formal expression.

Examples

• 그것은 단순한 착각에 불과해요. (That is nothing more than a simple illusion/mistake.)
• 저는 아직 학생에 불과합니다. (I am merely a student.)
• 이것은 시작에 불과해요. (This is nothing more than the beginning.)