Japanese grammar
What does ～はおろか mean? Japanese grammar N1
～はおろか means let alone…; not to mention….
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N1 |
|---|---|
| Structure | N + はおろか |
| Romaji | haoroka |
| Meaning | let alone…; not to mention… |
Forming it
| Connection | N + はおろか |
|---|
How to use it
Not even mentioning the big thing A, not even the small thing B works out either. Emphasizes severity by scaling down.
- 「AはおろかB（も／さえ）」 = A goes without saying, even B… B must be at a LOWER level than A: 「英語はおろか、日本語も十分に話せない」.
- The following clause is almost always negative and comes with 「も・さえ・すら・まで」 attached to B.
- Different from 「どころか」: 「はおろか」 only scales down in one direction (literary), while 「どころか」 can flip an expectation entirely.
Examples
彼は英語はおろか、日本語も十分に話せない。
Far from English, he cannot even speak Japanese well.
忙しくて、旅行はおろか、休む時間もない。
I am so busy that I have no time even to rest, let alone travel.
Keep in mind
- The particle is 「は」: 「旅行はおろか」, not 「旅行がおろか」.
- B must be lighter/easier than A for the sentence to carry weight.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong旅行がおろか休む時間もない。
Correct旅行はおろか休む時間もない。
Marking the higher/lower benchmark uses はおろか.
Exam tips
- 「はおろか」 = A goes without saying, even B doesn't happen; uses 「は」, B is lighter than A.