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松阪牛ぐらいじゃ足りないよ。

I understand the general meaning that Matsusaka beef isn't enough, but I don't understand what ぐらい or じゃ are doing in this sentence.

user3856370
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    `ある事柄を示し、その程度が軽いもの、弱いものとして表す 。 「酒くらい飲んだっていいよ」「ご飯くらいたけるよ」` #② in [大辞林](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E3%81%84-251986) – Chocolate May 08 '16 at 13:06
  • @chocolate I'm sorry, but could you translate その程度が軽いもの、弱いものとして表す please? I can't figure out what it means. – user3856370 May 08 '16 at 14:40
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    I think it's basically saying... "the くらい expresses/indicates that the degree/level of the thing/matter it's attached to is small (trivial) or weak (low)"... Does this make sense? – Chocolate May 08 '16 at 15:00
  • @chocolate Yes, I can see how that would work. Thanks. – user3856370 May 08 '16 at 15:03

1 Answers1

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くらい（ぐらい） basically means "on the level of".
じゃ＝では

As for the why of では, consider:
これでいい　→　これではよくない
これで満足できる　→　これでは満足できない etc.

So, structurally, you have ＡくらいではＢしない;
i.e. (I) won't B with something on the level of A.

"The likes of Matsuzaka beef isn't nearly enough (I'm gonna need something a bit higher class than this already very high class food!)"

Brandon
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  • Ah, so this is the で meaning with/by means of. Thanks – user3856370 May 08 '16 at 09:45
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    ぐらい surely can mean "on the level of", but NOT in OP's sentence. @chocolate has the answer in her comment above. Here, ぐらい is much more nuanced than plain "on the level of". –  May 08 '16 at 15:04
  • @l'électeur Right, hence the "basically" in my answer. I didn't say it only means that, but that it is the basic underlying meaning from which the more nuanced meanings arise. – Brandon May 08 '16 at 17:09