～さえ

How to form it

• Noun + さえ
• Noun + でさえ
• Verb (て-form) + さえ

Register: Neutral

Explanation

Picks an extreme example to show that the general statement is true: if even this is so, everything else is too.

In negative sentences it means 'not even'. The extreme example is something one would expect to be an exception.

Examples

1. 子どもでさえ知っていることだ。

   こどもでさえしっていることだ。

   Even a child knows that.

2. 忙しくて、食事をする時間さえない。

   いそがしくて、しょくじをするじかんさえない。

   I'm so busy I don't even have time to eat.

3. 自分の名前さえ書けない。

   じぶんのなまえさえかけない。

   He can't even write his own name.

Compare with

• ～さえ～ば: さえ〜ば means 'as long as'; さえ alone means 'even'.

Common mistakes

• Using it with は or が directly. さえ often replaces them or is combined as でさえ.