The particle 조차 (jocha) means "even," expressing extreme inclusion or emphasis. It's more formal than 도 (do) and highlights something unexpected or surprising within a range of possibilities.
Form
조차 (jocha) - invariable form (doesn't change)
Basic Function
Marks extreme inclusion, emphasizing something unexpected or highlighting the most extreme case.
Translation: "even," "not even," "so much as"
Basic Usage
Positive Context (Even)
Emphasizing surprising inclusion:
- 아이조차 알아요. (Ai-jocha arayo.) - Even children know.
- 물조차 없어요. (Mul-jocha eopseoyo.) - There isn't even water.
- 이름조차 몰라요. (Ireum-jocha mollayo.) - Don't even know the name.
Negative Context (Not Even)
Most common usage—emphasizing complete absence:
- 물조차 없어요. (Don't even have water.)
- 말조차 하지 않았어요. (Didn't even speak.)
- 한 번조차 안 갔어요. (Haven't gone even once.)
조차 vs 도
Both can mean "even," but differ in formality and strength:
도 (casual/neutral "even")
Everyday usage:
- 아이도 알아요. (Even children know.) - casual
- 물도 없어요. (Don't even have water.) - casual
조차 (formal/emphatic "even")
Formal, literary, emphatic:
- 아이조차 알아요. (Even children know.) - formal/emphatic
- 물조차 없어요. (Don't even have water.) - formal/emphatic
Key difference: 조차 is more formal and carries stronger emphasis than 도.
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: Noun + 조차
[Noun + 조차] + [Negative Verb]
- 이름조차 몰라요. (Don't even know the name.)
- 물조차 없어요. (Don't even have water.)
- 시간조차 없어요. (Don't even have time.)
Pattern 2: Minimal Amount + 조차
[하나/한 번 + 조차] + [Negative]
- 하나조차 없어요. (Don't have even one.)
- 한 번조차 안 갔어요. (Haven't gone even once.)
- 한 마디조차 안 했어요. (Didn't say even one word.)
Pattern 3: Basic Action + 조차
[Basic verb + 지조차 않다]
- 말하지조차 않았어요. (Didn't even speak.)
- 보지조차 못했어요. (Couldn't even see.)
Emphasizing Extremes
조차 highlights the most unexpected or extreme case:
Minimum Expectations
When even basic expectations aren't met:
- 인사조차 안 했어요. (Didn't even greet.)
- 감사 인사조차 없었어요. (There wasn't even a thank you.)
Surprising Inclusion
When something unexpected is included:
- 선생님조차 모르셨어요. (Even the teacher didn't know.)
- 전문가조차 실수했어요. (Even experts made mistakes.)
With Negative Verbs
Most commonly used with negatives to emphasize complete absence:
없다 (to not exist)
- 돈조차 없어요. (Don't even have money.)
- 시간조차 없어요. (Don't even have time.)
- 희망조차 없었어요. (There wasn't even hope.)
못하다 (cannot)
- 말조차 못했어요. (Couldn't even speak.)
- 보지조차 못했어요. (Couldn't even see.)
안 하다 (not do)
- 시도조차 안 했어요. (Didn't even try.)
- 생각조차 안 했어요. (Didn't even think of it.)
모르다 (to not know)
- 이름조차 몰라요. (Don't even know the name.)
- 존재조차 몰랐어요. (Didn't even know it existed.)
Formal/Literary Usage
조차 is common in formal writing and speeches:
Academic/Formal Writing
- 전문가조차 해결하지 못했다. (Even experts couldn't solve it.)
- 이러한 상황에서는 희망조차 찾기 어렵다. (In this situation, even hope is hard to find.)
News/Media
- 정부조차 대책이 없다. (Even the government has no solution.)
- 전문가들조차 예측하지 못했다. (Even experts couldn't predict.)
With Different Elements
People
- 선생님조차 (even teacher)
- 부모조차 (even parents)
- 친구조차 (even friends)
Examples:
- 부모조차 몰랐어요. (Even parents didn't know.)
- 친구조차 도와주지 않았어요. (Even friends didn't help.)
Things
- 물조차 (even water)
- 음식조차 (even food)
- 돈조차 (even money)
Examples:
- 물조차 없었어요. (There wasn't even water.)
- 음식조차 없었어요. (There wasn't even food.)
Actions
- 말조차 (even speaking)
- 생각조차 (even thinking)
- 시도조차 (even trying)
Examples:
- 생각조차 하지 않았어요. (Didn't even think about it.)
- 시도조차 안 했어요. (Didn't even try.)
Emphasis Strength
조차 is among the strongest emphatic particles:
Strength Hierarchy
- 조차 - strongest, most formal (even)
- 마저 - emphatic (even, in addition)
- 도 - neutral (also, even)
Example comparison:
- 물도 없어요. (Don't even have water.) - casual
- 물조차 없어요. (Don't even have water.) - formal/emphatic
With Minimal Units
Emphasizing that even the smallest amount is absent:
Numbers
- 하나조차 (not even one)
- 한 명조차 (not even one person)
- 한 번조차 (not even once)
Examples:
- 하나조차 없어요. (Don't have even one.)
- 한 명조차 안 왔어요. (Not even one person came.)
- 한 번조차 안 갔어요. (Haven't gone even once.)
Basic Actions
- 한 마디조차 (not even one word)
- 한 걸음조차 (not even one step)
Examples:
- 한 마디조차 안 했어요. (Didn't say even one word.)
Position in Sentence
조차 attaches to what it emphasizes, typically mid-sentence:
Standard position:
- 이름조차 몰라요. (Don't even know the name.)
- 물조차 없어요. (Don't even have water.)
Common Expressions
이름조차 (ireum-jocha) - even the name
- 이름조차 몰라요. (Don't even know the name.)
말조차 (mal-jocha) - even words/speaking
- 말조차 못했어요. (Couldn't even speak.)
생각조차 (saenggak-jocha) - even thinking
- 생각조차 못했어요. (Couldn't even think of it.)
한 번조차 (han beon-jocha) - not even once
- 한 번조차 안 갔어요. (Haven't gone even once.)
Literary Expressions
조차 appears frequently in literature and formal texts:
Formal Statements
- 그는 희망조차 포기했다. (He gave up even hope.)
- 진실조차 밝혀지지 않았다. (Even the truth hasn't been revealed.)
Dramatic Emphasis
- 신조차 모르는 일이다. (Even God doesn't know.)
- 죽음조차 두렵지 않았다. (Wasn't afraid of even death.)
조차 vs 마저
Both mean "even," but with different nuances:
조차 (extreme emphasis)
Emphasizes the extreme or unexpected:
- 물조차 없어요. (Don't even have water.)
마저 (in addition/also)
Emphasizes adding to what already exists:
- 친구마저 떠났어요. (Even friend left too - adding to others who left.)
Difference: 마저 implies others before, 조차 emphasizes extremity.
Comparison with Similar Particles
| Particle | Formality | Strength | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 조차 | Formal | Very strong | Even (extreme) |
| 마저 | Formal | Strong | Even (additional) |
| 도 | Casual | Moderate | Also, even |
Questions with 조차
Rhetorical Questions
Used for emphasis:
- 이름조차 모르면서 어떻게...? (How can you... when you don't even know the name?)
- 시도조차 안 하고 포기해요? (Give up without even trying?)
Key Points
- ✅ Form: 조차 (invariable)
- ✅ Meaning: Even (extreme emphasis)
- ✅ Formality: Formal, literary
- ✅ Most common: With negative verbs
- ✅ Emphasis: Stronger than 도
- ✅ Usage: Surprising inclusion, complete absence
- ✅ Common patterns: Minimal amounts (하나조차, 한 번조차)
Understanding 조차 allows you to express extreme emphasis in formal Korean. It's particularly useful in writing, speeches, and situations requiring strong rhetorical emphasis.