〜はおろか (~wa oroka) — let alone ~ / not to mention ~
'Forget the big thing — not even the small thing happened' — usually in a bad situation.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- Remember your first month in Japan: 「漢字はおろか、ひらがなも読めなかった」— 'forget kanji, I couldn't even read hiragana'.
- It is mostly used for disappointing, bad situations, and has a slightly stiff, written flavour.
Meaning
- 「AはおろかBも」= A (the harder, bigger thing) obviously didn't happen, and even B (the easier, smaller thing) didn't either.
- The second item is stressed with 「も」「さえ」「すら」「まで」.
How to attach
- N + 「はおろか」(after its particle if there is one: 外ではおろか)
- With a verb, make it 「dictionary form + の」first: 走るのはおろか
Versus what you know
N3「〜どころか」can turn the opposite way ('far from getting easier, it got harder'); 「はおろか」keeps going in the same direction.
Watch out
It only describes a situation — not used in requests, orders or wishes (「漢字はおろかひらがなも覚えてください」✗).
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
日本に来たばかりの頃は、漢字はおろか、ひらがなも読めなかった。
にほんにきたばかりのころは、かんじはおろか、ひらがなもよめなかった。
When I had just come to Japan, I couldn't read hiragana, let alone kanji.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 漢字 = kanji (the hard thing) → 「はおろか」 = never mind that → ひらがなも = even hiragana (the easy thing) → 読めなかった = couldn't read.
忙しすぎて、旅行はおろか、近所の散歩さえできない。
いそがしすぎて、りょこうはおろか、きんじょのさんぽさえできない。
I'm so busy I can't even take a walk in the neighborhood, let alone travel.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 忙しすぎて = being too busy → 旅行 = traveling (the big thing) → 「はおろか」 → 近所の散歩さえ = even a walk nearby → できない = can't.
熱が高くて、仕事に行くのはおろか、起き上がることもできない。
ねつがたかくて、しごとにいくのはおろか、おきあがることもできない。
My fever is so high I can't even get up, let alone go to work.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 仕事に行く = to go to work → 「の」 turns it into a noun → 「はおろか」 → 起き上がることも = even getting up (a small thing) → できない = I can't.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「財布＿、パスポートまでなくしてしまった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: The form always comes with the same particle.
N + はおろか、…まで. 財布はおろかパスポートまで = not just my wallet, even my passport.
In which sentence is 「はおろか」unnatural?
💡 Hint: Describing a situation, or making a request?
「はおろか」only describes a situation; it is not used with a request like 「〜てください」.
「新しい仕事は楽になる＿、前よりずっと大変になった。」— which turns to the opposite?
💡 Hint: 'Easier' was expected; it became 'harder'.
「どころか」= the opposite happened. 「はおろか」keeps one direction: 'not A, and not even B'.
Your score: /3