How to say "except" in Japanese

• しかCommon
  particleCovers 'except' only through its core sense 'nothing but; no more than': it singles out the one item that remains while the rest is denied, so it fits when the exception is the sole one.
  試験しけんまで、たった一いち週間しゅうかんしか残のこっていない。↗

  There is only a week left before the examination.
• 以外いがいJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun (suffix)The general-purpose word for 'except (for)' and 'other than': it places the named item outside the statement, and is the safe default when you simply need to exclude something from a claim.
  その仕事しごと以外いがいならなんでもやる。↗

  I'll do anything but that job.
• 除いてのぞいてCommon
  expressionCovers 'except' as setting an item aside mid-sentence, close to 'excluding'; it also matches 'save'. Use it when you name the exception, then speak of the rest.
  一人ひとりを除のぞいて全員ぜんいんが彼かれの計画けいかくに賛成さんせいした。↗

  All except one agreed to his plan.
• 除くのぞくJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbA verb meaning 'to exclude; to leave out; to omit'; it matches 'except' only as the verb 'to except', not the preposition — use it for the act of leaving something out.
  発音はつおんの点てんを除のぞけば、みんな上手じょうずなフランス語ふらんすごを話はなす。↗

  Except for pronunciation, everyone can speak good French.

Use 以外 for the ordinary 'except (for)/other than', 「しか」 when the exception is the only one ('nothing but'), 「除いて」 to set the exception apart from the rest, and 「除く」 only for the verb 'to exclude'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• しかnothing but
• 以外いがいexcluding
• 除いてのぞいてexcept
• おいてexcept
• っきゃnothing but
• だけしかnothing but
• しきゃnothing but
• 除くのぞくto exclude
• ならではbut
• 措くおくto exclude
• よりexcept
• ほかexcept
• よりかexcept