particle N1 uncommon writtenliterary
すら — even
すら
Meaning
- even ~ — cites an extreme or unexpected example to imply 'if even this, then surely the rest', usually with a negative or surprising predicate
Key sentence
専門家ですら答えられない問題だ。
It's a problem that even an expert can't answer.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (+ case particle) | N + すら / N + で + すら | 子供 → 子供ですら、名前 → 名前すら |
When: Written and formal. Spoken Japanese uses さえ or も.
Examples
疲れすぎて、立つことすらできなかった。
I was so exhausted I couldn't even stand.
彼は自分の名前すら書けなかった。
He couldn't even write his own name.
そんな話は聞いたことすらない。
I haven't even heard of such a thing.
親にすら相談できなかった。
I couldn't even consult my own parents.
When you can't use it
- Pairs with a negative or otherwise surprising predicate. The point is 'even this extreme case fails / holds', so 子供ですら分かる ('even a child understands') works, but a flat affirmative with no scaling implication reads oddly.
Easily confused with
さえ Both mean 'even'. さえ is the everyday word and also carries the conditional 'if only' use (来さえすれば); すら is more literary/emphatic and lacks that conditional sense. も Extreme-example も ('even a child...') overlaps with すら, but も is neutral and spoken; すら adds formal, emphatic weight to the extreme case.
See すら in real sentences
Jengo shows すら the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.