〜に限る
Nothing beats 〜に限る
Meaning
"Nothing beats ~", "~ is the best thing".
Formation
[noun] + に限る · [verb dictionary] + に限る · [verb ない form] + に限る
Notes
The speaker's own verdict on what is best, not an objective rule — 夏はビールに限る. Because it is a personal judgement it does not report someone else's preference.
Examples
暑（あつ）い夏（なつ）はビールに限（かぎ）ります。
In a hot summer, nothing beats a beer.
Breakdown
疲（つか）れた時（とき）は寝（ね）るに限（かぎ）ります。
When you are tired, there is nothing like sleep.
Breakdown
風邪（かぜ）のときは早（はや）く休（やす）むに限（かぎ）ります。
With a cold, the best thing is an early night.
Breakdown
旅行（りょこう）の荷物（にもつ）は少（すく）ないに限（かぎ）ります。
When travelling, the less luggage the better.
Breakdown
危（あぶ）ないことはしないに限（かぎ）ります。
The best policy is not to do anything dangerous. (ない form + に限る)
Breakdown
⚠️ Often confused with
〜しか〜ない
Only 〜しか〜ない
"Only ~" — expresses limitation, with a nuance of "nothing but / not enough". MUST be used...
〜だけ
Only / just だけ
"Only / just ~" — neutral limitation. Unlike しか, だけ goes with an AFFIRMATIVE verb and...
[数量]＋も / [数量]＋しか〜ない
Quantity + も / しか
Colours a quantity as large (も, "as many as") or small (しか〜ない, "only").
〜てばかりいる
Do nothing but 〜てばかりいる
Criticises a repeated action — "does nothing but ~", "is always ~ing".
〜だらけ
Covered in 〜だらけ
"Covered in ~", "full of ~" — an unpleasant abundance.
〜きり
Ever since / only 〜きり
Two uses: "and that was the last of it" after a past verb, and "just / only" after a noun.
〜なんて
Something like (belittling) 〜なんて
Dismisses or belittles — "something like ~", "the very idea of ~". Can also express surpri...
〜限り（は）
As long as 〜限り（は）
"As long as ~", "as far as ~" — the condition under which the statement holds.
〜ない限り
Unless / so long as not 〜ない限り
"Unless ~", "so long as ~ does not happen".
〜に限らず
Not limited to 〜に限らず
"Not just ~", "not limited to ~".
〜に限って
Of all times 〜に限って
"Of all times / of all people ~"; also "~ alone would never".
〜をもって
As of (formal) 〜をもって
"As of ~", "with ~", "by means of ~" — a formal boundary or instrument.
〜に至るまで
Extending even to 〜に至るまで
"Extending all the way to ~", "down to even ~" — the range reaches an extreme.