Japanese by Example
Learning through examples in manga

As if with 〜んばかり

Grammar: Appearance » 〜んばかり

〜んばかり has a meaning of “at any moment, seems will do (verb)”.

Follows the ない stem of a verb. In the case of する, it becomes せん.

English counterparts are “as if” and “as though”.

Further Reading

Examples

As if to say try and catch me 〜んばかり

Manga panel from ふらいんぐうぃっち showing example of As if with 〜んばかり.
ふらいんぐうぃっち » Volume 1 » Page 78

Kei and Chinatsu watch as their cousin, Makoto, chases a pheasant back and forth across the field. During a break in the chase, Makoto explains her fascination with the bird.

真琴(まこと):
「常(つね)に届(とど)きそうで届(とど)かない距離(きょり)をキープしてて」
“Constantly seeming like you can reach and keeping a distance you can't...”
「捕(つか)まえてみろよと言(い)わんばかりの目(め)で見(み)てくるんです」
“It's been looking with eyes as ifto say, try and catch me!”