At a glance
Noun はおろか～も means "let alone" or "not to mention": the first item obviously applies (or obviously does not), and even the second, more surprising item does too. It is a formal expression, usually used for negative or surprising situations.
Noun1 はおろか、Noun2 も / さえ / すら / まで ～
彼は漢字はおろか、ひらがなさえ読めない。 He can't even read hiragana, let alone kanji.
How to form it
| Part | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First item: noun | Noun + はおろか | 漢字はおろか |
| First item: verb | Dictionary form + こと + はおろか | 走ることはおろか |
| Second item | Noun (+ particle) + も / さえ / すら / まで | ひらがなさえ, 海外でも |
| Register | Formal, mostly written | News, essays, formal speech |