〜にとどまる (~ni todomaru) — to stay at only ~ / be limited to ~
In statistics news — the number or range stopped right there and went no further.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
Every spring the wage news says: 「賃上げ率は2%にとどまった」. Prices are rising 3%, wages only 2% — there's a disappointed tone of 'it couldn't get any higher'.
Meaning
- 「とどまる」means 'to stay in one place, not move forward'. So 「〜にとどまる」says a number, amount or range stopped at that level — usually below what was expected or aimed for.
- But with damage it becomes good news: 「被害は一部の地域にとどまった」= the damage was limited to some areas.
How to attach
Attach 「にとどまる／にとどまった」after a noun for a number or range; it also follows a verb's dictionary form (注意するにとどまった = went no further than a warning).
Versus what you know
- 「〜にとどまらず」from L4 (国内にとどまらず海外でも) is its opposite — 'didn't stop there, spread further'.
- N2「〜にすぎない」(言い訳にすぎない) carries the speaker's judgement 'it's merely…'; 「にとどまる」is an objective report of a result — which is why it fills news and survey reports.
Watch out
The key rule: it means 'stopped low' — it isn't used with something that rose a lot, like 「予想を大きく上回る」.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
外国人向け日本語教室の参加者は、目標の半分にとどまった。
がいこくじんむけにほんごきょうしつのさんかしゃは、もくひょうのはんぶんにとどまった。
Attendance at the Japanese classes for foreign residents reached only half the target.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 参加者は = the participants → 目標の半分 = half the target (a noun) → 「にとどまった」= stopped right there and went no higher (less than expected).
今回の地震による被害は、窓ガラスが割れる程度にとどまった。
こんかいのじしんによるひがいは、まどガラスがわれるていどにとどまった。
Damage from this earthquake was limited to some broken windows.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 地震による被害は = the damage caused by the earthquake → 窓ガラスが割れる程度 = the level of windows breaking (a noun) → 「にとどまった」= stayed limited to that (here it's news of relief).
会社は、ミスをした社員に口頭で注意するにとどまった。
かいしゃは、ミスをしたしゃいんにこうとうでちゅういするにとどまった。
The company went no further than giving the employee who made the mistake a verbal warning.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 口頭で注意する = to warn verbally (dictionary form) → 「にとどまった」= did only that, and didn't go as far as punishment.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「新しいアプリの登録者数は、予想を下回る3千人＿＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: number + ? + とどまる
N + にとどまる: 3千人にとどまった = stayed at only 3,000. The other particles don't attach here.
In which sentence is 「にとどまった」unnatural?
💡 Hint: 'Stopped low', or 'rose a lot'?
「にとどまる」= went no higher. 予想を大きく上回る過去最高 is a big rise — say 「100億円に達した」or 「100億円となった」.
「この問題は東京＿＿、全国に広がっている。」— which is correct?
💡 Hint: What follows is 'has spread nationwide'.
It didn't stop at Tokyo but spread nationwide, so 「にとどまらず」(L4). 「にとどまり」and 「にすぎず」say 'limited to Tokyo', which clashes with 'has spread'; 「にとどまった、」doesn't connect here.
Your score: /3