N1 Comparison and Contrast

~はおろか: meaning, usage and examples

~はおろか means: let alone... / not to mention... / ...is out of the question.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 彼かれは漢字かんじはおろか、ひらがなさえ読よめない。

   He can't even read hiragana, let alone kanji.

2. 忙いそがしすぎて、休やすみはおろか、食事しょくじの時間じかんもろくにない。

   I'm so busy I barely have time to eat, let alone take a break.

3. 祖母そぼはスマホはおろか、携帯けいたい電話でんわも使つかったことがない。

   My grandmother has never even used a cell phone, let alone a smartphone.

4. この村むらには、ホテルはおろか、コンビニすらない。

   This village does not even have a convenience store, let alone a hotel.

When to use it

Says that a bigger or harder thing is out of the question, and that even a smaller, more basic thing does not happen (or, in positive sentences, that even an extreme thing happens). Example: 漢字かんじはおろか、ひらがなも読よめない (cannot even read hiragana, let alone kanji). The second half almost always has も, さえ or すら.

Nuance

Slightly formal but common in speech too. It usually expresses a negative or surprising situation, and the speaker often sounds critical or amazed. The second clause cannot be a request, command or volition, so はおろか does not fit sentences like "let alone X, please do Y."

Compare

どころか is the everyday version and can also flip expectations: 休やすむどころか、もっと働はたらいた. ばかりか / だけでなく add items neutrally. もちろん is the positive counterpart: 英語えいごはもちろん、中国ちゅうごく語ごも話はなせる. はおろか sounds stronger and is mostly used with a negative or extreme result.

Tip: Order matters: the more obvious item comes before はおろか, the more basic or extreme item comes after it with も or さえ.