Question まだ空席ばかり

zuotengdazuo

Sempai

8 Dec 2019

830

19

• 19 Aug 2022

• #1

連邦軍基地の食堂は基地、階級を問わず同じメニューが提供されるが、量については自分で調節するようにカフェテリア形式だ。
シンや配膳担当の兵員にあれこれ世話を焼かれつつ不器用に料理をよそい、レーナはまだ空席ばかりのテーブルの一つにつく。

86─エイティシックス─Ep.4 ─アンダー・プレッシャー─
安里アサト

Hi. What does the bold ばかり mean here? I don't think it means "only" here.

 

mdchachi

Moderator

Moderator

Twenty-year veteran

6 Mar 2003

9,319

9,449

• 25 Aug 2022

• #2

It's emphasizing all of the empty seats isn't it? Maybe the difference to saying:
Rena took an empty seat at a table vs. Rena took one of the many empty seats a table.
The latter shows she's isolated whereas the former could mean she's with many other people.

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 28 Sep 2022

• #3

zuotengdazuo said:

What does the bold ばかり mean here?

Click to expand...

ばかり is used in a similar meaning to だらけ there.