This study is based on cognitive linguistics and Japanese linguistics to explore the usage of “bakari.” By integrating grammaticalization, it examines the semantic expansion of “hakaru” and the boundaries of “bakari”’s semantic shift. Through this specific approach, the overall transformation process of “bakari” is observed. Furthermore, this research also explores the shift in semantic expansion from the perspective of grammaticalization. Overall, by analyzing semantic associations and cognitive processes, this study provides a detail systematic analysis of “bakari”’s meaning and relevance.