Japanese word

もしかして

Pronunciation

Romajimoshikashite

Meaning

  • adverbby any chance

Example

もしかして、明日は休みですか？mo shi ka shi te asu wa yasu mi de su ka

Is tomorrow a day off by any chance?

Illustration for もしかして (by any chance)

More examples

もしかして、田中さんはもう帰りましたか。mo shi ka shi te ta naka sa n wa mō kae ri ma shi ta ka

Has Tanaka gone home already, by any chance?

Core concept

Signals that a possibility is being raised tentatively, often in a question rather than asserted as likely.

Common phrases

  • もしかしてと思うmo shi ka shi te to omo u

    wonder if

Similar words

ひょっとしてhyottoshite: Raises a specific possibility tentatively while checking whether a suspicion is correct.
もしかするとmoshikasuruto: Indicates that a situation may be true without presenting it as certain.
ひょっとしたらhyottoshitara: Introduces a possible outcome or situation in a cautious, conditional way.
もしやmoshiya: Suggests that a suspected possibility may be true, with a somewhat formal or literary tone.

Definition in Japanese

ある可能性を控えめに推測したり、相手にたずねたりする際に用いる語。a ru ka nō sei o hika e me ni sui soku shi ta ri ai te ni ta zu ne ta ri su ru sai ni mochi i ru go

Word origin

もしかして (moshikashite, "by any chance") is related to もし (moshi, "if") and か (ka, "whether"), with して (shite) coming from する (suru, "do").

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect もしかして (moshikashite) to mean only perhaps, but it often signals that the speaker is checking a specific hunch based on a clue.

Other meanings

  • perhapsadverb

Word lists with this word