-기는커녕 means "let alone," "far from," or "not to mention." It expresses that not only is the first thing not happening, but even something lesser or more basic is not happening either.
Structure
Verb/Adjective stem + -기는커녕
Breakdown:
- -기: Nominalizing ending
- 는: Topic particle
- 커녕: Let alone (particle indicating extreme negation)
- Combined meaning: "Let alone [verb], not even..."
Literal meaning: "Far from [doing X], not even..."
Formation Rules
With All Verbs
Verb stem + -기는커녕:
- 가다 → 가기는커녕 (let alone go)
- 먹다 → 먹기는커녕 (let alone eat)
- 공부하다 → 공부하기는커녕 (let alone study)
- 사다 → 사기는커녕 (let alone buy)
With Adjectives
Adjective stem + -기는커녕:
- 좋다 → 좋기는커녕 (let alone be good)
- 크다 → 크기는커녕 (let alone be big)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘기는커녕 (let alone be pretty)
- 비싸다 → 비싸기는커녕 (let alone be expensive)
With Nouns
Noun + 은/는커녕:
With final consonant: 은커녕
- 밥은커녕 (let alone rice/meal)
- 돈은커녕 (let alone money)
No final consonant: 는커녕
- 차는커녕 (let alone car/tea)
- 커피는커녕 (let alone coffee)
Core Meaning: Extreme Negation
Not Even the Lesser Thing
Expected thing didn't happen, neither did something easier:
- 사기는커녕 보지도 못했어요 (Let alone buy it, I didn't even see it)
- 이기기는커녕 지고만 있어요 (Far from winning, I keep losing)
- 부자기는커녕 가난해요 (Far from being rich, I'm poor)
- 좋기는커녕 나빠요 (Far from being good, it's bad)
Emphasis on Complete Failure
Highlighting how far from achieving something:
- 성공하기는커녕 시작도 못했어요 (Let alone succeed, I haven't even started)
- 돈을 벌기는커녕 잃었어요 (Far from earning money, I lost it)
- 나아지기는커녕 악화되었어요 (Far from getting better, it got worse)
Common Usage Patterns
Expressing Disappointment
Reality falls far short of expectations:
- 합격하기는커녕 면접도 못 봤어요 (Let alone pass, I didn't even get an interview)
- 이해하기는커녕 듣지도 못했어요 (Let alone understand, I didn't even hear it)
- 먹기는커녕 볼 시간도 없었어요 (Let alone eat, I didn't have time to even look)
Showing Extreme Lack
Don't have even the basic thing:
- 차는커녕 자전거도 없어요 (Let alone a car, I don't even have a bike)
- 돈은커녕 카드도 없어요 (Let alone money, I don't even have a card)
- 집은커녕 방도 없어요 (Let alone a house, I don't even have a room)
Opposite Result
Result is opposite of what's mentioned:
- 좋아하기는커녕 싫어해요 (Far from liking it, I hate it)
- 도와주기는커녕 방해했어요 (Far from helping, they hindered)
- 칭찬하기는커녕 욕했어요 (Far from praising, they cursed)
Politeness Levels
Formal (합니다체)
- 먹기는커녕 보지도 못했습니다 (Let alone eat, I didn't even see it)
- 좋기는커녕 나쁩니다 (Far from being good, it's bad)
Polite (해요체)
- 먹기는커녕 보지도 못했어요 (Let alone eat, I didn't even see it)
- 좋기는커녕 나빠요 (Far from being good, it's bad)
Casual (반말)
- 먹기는커녕 보지도 못했어 (Let alone eat, I didn't even see it)
- 좋기는커녕 나빠 (Far from being good, it's bad)
Common Expressions
Lack of Basic Things
- 밥은커녕 물도 없어요 (Let alone food, there's not even water)
- 돈은커녕 시간도 없어요 (Let alone money, I don't have time either)
- 친구는커녕 아는 사람도 없어요 (Let alone friends, I don't know anyone)
Failed Expectations
- 성공하기는커녕 (Far from succeeding)
- 이기기는커녕 (Far from winning)
- 잘하기는커녕 (Far from doing well)
Opposite Outcomes
- 좋아지기는커녕 더 나빠졌어요 (Far from getting better, it got worse)
- 줄어들기는커녕 늘어났어요 (Far from decreasing, it increased)
- 편해지기는커녕 더 힘들어졌어요 (Far from getting easier, it got harder)
Pattern Variations
-기는커녕 Alone
Can end sentence with just -기는커녕:
- A: 시험 잘 봤어요? (Did you do well on the exam?)
- B: 잘 보기는커녕... (Far from doing well...)
With 도
Adding emphasis:
- 먹기는커녕 보지도 못했어요 (Let alone eat, I didn't even see it)
- 가기는커녕 생각도 못했어요 (Let alone go, I didn't even think about it)
Comparison with Similar Patterns
-기는커녕 vs -은/는커녕 (nouns)
-기는커녕: With verbs/adjectives
- 먹기는커녕 (let alone eat)
-은/는커녕: With nouns
- 밥은커녕 (let alone rice/food)
-기는커녕 vs -기는 하지만
-기는커녕: Extreme negation, opposite
- 좋기는커녕 나빠요 (Far from good, it's bad)
- Emphasizes complete opposite
-기는 하지만: Acknowledgment with contrast
- 좋기는 하지만 비싸요 (It is good, but expensive)
- Admits something is true
-기는커녕 vs -지도 않다
-기는커녕: Not even the lesser thing
- 사기는커녕 보지도 못했어요 (Let alone buy, didn't even see)
-지도 않다: Simple negation with "even"
- 사지도 않았어요 (Didn't even buy it)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 좋는커녕
Wrong nominalizer form
✅ Correct: 좋기는커녕
Use -기 for nominalization
❌ Incorrect: 밥이는커녕
Wrong particle with noun
✅ Correct: 밥은커녕
Use 은/는커녕 with nouns
❌ Incorrect: 가커녕
Missing -기는
✅ Correct: 가기는커녕
Include full -기는커녕 form
Summary Table
| Type | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb | -기는커녕 | 먹기는커녕 | Let alone eat |
| Adjective | -기는커녕 | 좋기는커녕 | Let alone be good |
| Noun (cons.) | -은커녕 | 밥은커녕 | Let alone food |
| Noun (vowel) | -는커녕 | 커피는커녕 | Let alone coffee |
Usage Context Guide
Use -기는커녕 when:
- Expressing extreme negation
- Showing disappointment in results
- Emphasizing lack of even basic things
- Indicating opposite of expected outcome
- Highlighting complete failure
Common contexts:
- Failed expectations (성공하기는커녕)
- Extreme lack (돈은커녕 시간도 없다)
- Opposite results (좋아지기는커녕 나빠졌다)
- Disappointment (보기는커녕 듣지도 못했다)
Emotional Tone
Strong Negative Emotion
Often carries frustration or disappointment:
- 도와주기는커녕 방해만 했어요 (Far from helping, they only hindered)
- Expresses frustration
Emphasizes Gap
Highlights distance between expectation and reality:
- 부자기는커녕 빚이 많아요 (Far from being rich, I have lots of debt)
- Shows stark contrast
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Extreme negation: Not even the lesser thing
- ✅ Same form for all: -기는커녕 for verbs/adjectives
- ✅ Different for nouns: 은/는커녕
- ✅ Strong emotion: Often expresses frustration
- ✅ Emphasizes contrast: Reality vs expectation
- ✅ Common in complaints: Natural for expressing disappointment
-기는커녕 is essential for expressing extreme negation and disappointment in Korean, particularly when reality falls far short of expectations or when even basic conditions are not met.