Even and let alone
Conjugations, Stage 4chunk 4 of 6Grammar patterns
Go one step further: far from, not only, rather, even.
- -dokoro kafar from; let alone
- -dake de nakunot only ... but also
- -to iu yorirather than; or rather; more like
- -de saeeven
Mix-ups dokoro ka flips the expectation; dake de naku just adds to it.
-dokoro ka
far from; let alone
Rejects an expectation and goes further the other way: 'far from cheap, it cost double'.
Make it noun or plain form + dokoro ka
'sore dokoro ja nai' = there's no time for that right now. Compare dake de naku, a neutral 'not only'.
yasumu dokoro ka, kyuujitsu mo shigoto da yo
Rest? I'm even working my days off.
休むどころか、休日も仕事だよ
yasumu dokoro ka, kyuujitsu mo shigoto desu yo
Far from resting, I'm working even on my days off.
休むどころか、休日も仕事ですよ
Rank #3071 in 3,030 TV dramas
-dake de naku
not only ... but also
The second half usually has mo: 'not only X, Y too'.
Make it noun or plain form + dake de naku
Speech usually says dake ja nakute; dake de naku sounds formal or written.
ano mise, oishii dake ja nakute yasui n da yo
That place isn't just tasty, it's cheap too.
あの店、おいしいだけじゃなくて安いんだよ
ano mise wa oishii dake de naku, yasui n desu yo
That restaurant is not only good but cheap as well.
あの店はおいしいだけでなく、安いんですよ
Rank #3317 in 3,030 TV dramas
-to iu yori
rather than; or rather; more like
Corrects your own word choice: 'not so much X as Y'.
Make it noun or plain form + to iu yori
Casual: 'tte iu yori'. The stand-alone filler 'to iu ka' (or rather) is even more common.
samui to iu yori, mou itai yo
It's not so much cold as painful.
寒いというより、もう痛いよ
samui to iu yori, mou itai desu ne
It's less cold than actually painful.
寒いというより、もう痛いですね
Rank #3942 in 3,030 TV dramas
-de sae
even
Picks an extreme case to make the point: 'even the teacher couldn't'.
Make it noun + de sae; after another particle, plain sae
Casual talk usually says de mo: 'kodomo de mo wakaru'. Don't mix with sae ... -ba, 'as long as'.
sensei de sae wakaranakatta n da yo
Even the teacher didn't know.
先生でさえわからなかったんだよ
sensei de sae wakarimasen deshita
Even the teacher couldn't work it out.
先生でさえわかりませんでした
Rank #4951 in 3,030 TV dramas