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Grammar detail: ばかりに

ばかりに
just because ~; on account of ~
111 words
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ばかりに
means
just because (of something); on account of (something)
It is used in a situation where something is (somewhat unexpectedly) the reason for something else.
あれ
彼
は
けいば
競馬
に
ねっちゅう
熱中
した
ばかりに、
ざいさん
財産
を
ぜんぶ
全部
うしな
失
った
。
He lost his entire fortune because of his addiction to horse racing.
Often when ばかり is followed by the particle に, the に indicates state / location, or a set phrase such as になる. In this context it has its usual meaning - 'only, just':
その
へや
部屋
は
ひ
引
っ
こ
越
せる
ばかりになっている。
The room is ready for us to move into.
... or, as in the set phrase,
おどろ
驚
くばかりに, ばかり serves to provide emphasis:
かんしゅ
看守
たちのほとんどは
おどろ
驚
くばかりに
しゅうねんぶか
執念深
く
ざんにん
残忍
でした。
The majority of the guards were astonishingly vindictive and cruel.
Note: this form is easily confused with the んばかり form, but the meanings are quite different.
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Kanji used in this grammar

驚
キョウ   surprised   おどろく to be surprised   おどろかす to surprise, to frighten   
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彼
ヒ   かれ he   
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競
キョウ   ケイ   きそう    せる to compete   
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馬
バ   うま horse   ま horse   
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熱
ネツ   あつい hot   
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中
チュウ   ジュウ   なか middle   
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財
ザイ   サイ    money, wealth, property   
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産
サン    giving birth; products   うむ to give birth to   うまれる to be born   うぶ- newborn   
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全
ゼン   まったく entirely   すべて everything   
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部
ブ   part
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失
シツ   うしなう to lose   
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屋
オク   や roof   
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引
イン   ひく to pull   ひける to be over   
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越
エツ   こす    こえる to surpass   
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看
カン    watch over   
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守
シュ   ス   まもる to protect, guard   もり babysitting   
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執
シツ   シュウ   hold on to   とる    
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念
ネン    idea, thought   
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深
シン   ふかい deep   ふかめる to fill   ふかまる to deepen   
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残
ザン   のこる to remain behind   のこす to leave behind   
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忍
ニン   しのぶ to endure; lie hidden   しのばせる to conceal   
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