even, as long as

Beginner

15-20 min

very common

Expert Reviewed

Explanation

Emphasizes extremity or minimum condition.

[Noun] + さえ/でさえ

彼は名前さえ知らない。

Kare wa namae sae shiranai.

He doesn't even know their name.

子供でさえ分かる。

Kodomo de sae wakaru.

Even a child can understand.

Emphasizes unexpected extreme.

～さえ～ば

as long as, if only

～ために (tame ni)

in order to ~, for the purpose of ~

～のに (noni)

although ~, despite ~, even though ~

～にもかかわらず

despite ~, in spite of ~

～ようになる

come to ~, become able to ~, reach the point where ~

Very common emphatic particle.

JLPTBooks Editorial Team

Japanese Language Education Specialists

Last updated: Jan 2

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