even

さえ marks an extreme example to imply that if even this is true, lesser cases certainly are. Attach it to a noun (often with を→をさえ, に→にさえ). It is stronger and more formal than も in this "even" sense.

Examples

• そんなことは子供こどもさえ知しっている。

  Sonna koto wa kodomo sae shitte iru.

  Even a child knows that.

• 忙いそがしくて、食事しょくじをする時間じかんさえない。

  Isogashikute, shokuji o suru jikan sae nai.

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

Vocabulary in these examples

• 子供 child
• 知る to know
• いる to exist (animate); to be
• 忙しい busy
• 食事 meal
• する to do

Related patterns · Emphasis and listing

• 〜こそ precisely; the very (emphasis)
• 〜やら〜やら what with... and...
• 〜にしろ〜にしろ whether... or...
• 〜ことか how...! (exclamation)