もしか

Japanese

Alternative spelling
若しか

Etymology

From もし (moshi, “if”) + か (ka, interrogative and coordinating particle).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) もしか [móꜜshì kà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [mo̞ɕi ka̠]

Adverb

もしか • (moshi ka) 

1. (more emphatic) Synonym of もし (“if; supposing”)

   もしか誰(だれ)か来(き)たら、夕(ゆう)方(がた)まで帰(かえ)らないといってください。

   Moshika dareka kitara, yūgata made kaeranai to itte kudasai.

   In case anybody comes, please tell him or her that I won't return until evening.

Usage notes

This term is often spelled in hiragana.

Synonyms

• もしも (moshi mo)
• 万(まん)一(いち) (man'ichi)

Derived terms

• もしかしたら (moshi ka shitara)
• もしかすると (moshi ka suru to)
• もしかしなくても (moshi ka shinakute mo)