Noun はおろか～すら
Noun wa oroka ～sura
JLPT N1 Very formal, literary
Formation
Noun1 はおろか, Noun2 すら/さえ ～
Expresses 'not to mention ~, even ~'.
When to use
Formal, literary "not to mention X, even Y" - emphasizes Y as more extreme than the already-notable X.
Explanation
The grammar point Noun はおろか～すら is used to emphasize that a particular statement applies not only to the first noun mentioned, but even more so to what comes after すら or さえ. It can be translated as ‘let alone ~, even ~’.
Example sentences
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He can't even walk fast, let alone run.
Kare wa hashiru wa oroka, hayaku aruku koto sura dekinai.
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He doesn't even speak English, let alone Japanese.
Nihongo wa oroka, eigo sae hanashimasen.
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He didn't even drink anything all day, let alone eat a meal.
Kare wa shokuji wa oroka, ichinichijuu nani mo nomanakatta.
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Never mind the taste; even the service is bad.
Kono resutoran wa aji wa oroka, saabisu sae warui.
Corpus examples (60)
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We'll be fine as long as we have money.
お前が俺と一緒に来るか、あいつに聞いてみたんだけど、あの野郎、返事すらしなかった。
I asked him if you will come with me, but he didn't even answer.
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Tom doesn't even know how to make a cup of tea.
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She is ignorant of even the simplest fact about science.
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She is ignorant of even the simplest facts about science.
この大学の学生の中には教師に対する口の利き方すら知らないものがいる。
Some students in this university don't even know how to talk to teachers.
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You have only to read a few pages of this book.
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He does not know English, not to mention German or French.
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She doesn't even speak her own language well, let alone French.
メアリーはフランス語を読むことさえできない、まして話すことはできない。
Mary can't even read French, much less speak it.
メアリーはフランス語を読むことさえできない、フランス語を話すことはなおさらできない。
Mary can't even read French, much less speak it.
フランス語は読むことさえ出来ないのです。まして話すことなどとても出来ません。
I can't even read French, much less speak it.
フランス語を習い始めてもう３年なんだけど、未だに曜日すら覚えてないんだよね。
I've been learning French for three years, and I still haven't even memorized the days of the week.
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I wish I had the chance to learn Russian.
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As long as we love each other, we'll be all right.
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He did not so much as greet the manager.
挨拶さえしなかった。
He didn't even say hello.
インターネットを使って異国語を学ぶものがいる一方、一日1$以下で暮らし自国語さえ読めないものがいる。
While there are some people who use the Internet to learn foreign languages, there are others, living on less than a dollar a day, who cannot even read their own language.
私は私以外に誰も彼の名前さえ覚えていないではないかと疑問に思う。
I doubt if anyone even remembers his name now, except for me.
私はおろかにもその慣用語句を文字通りの意味で解釈してしまった。
I foolishly interpreted the idiom according to its literal sense.
制服だって、いつも着ているのより糊がきき過ぎていて、ちょっぴり違和感すら覚えてしまいます。
Come to that the uniform had a bit more starch than that I usually wear, it's a bit uncomfortable.
彼は自分の家族すら取りしきれないのに、まして一国を治めるなんて！
He can't run his own family, let alone a nation!
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It is a sin to steal even a pin.
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I couldn't even see one meter in front of me!
日本人の中には、小学生になっても両親と一緒に寝ているものさえいる。
Some Japanese may continue to sleep with both parents even during elementary school days.