〜ならまだしも

nara mada shimo

if it were ..., it would be one thing (but)

Formation

Noun + ならまだしも / Verb-plain + (の) + ならまだしも

Chinese meanings

如果是……还情有可原

Chinese formation

名词＋ならまだしも；动词普通形＋（の）ならまだしも

Chinese usage

前项尚可接受，而实际情况更严重。

Chinese notes

也有はまだしも。

Examples

Furigana

一いち度どならまだしも、同おなじミスを三さん度ども繰くり返かえすのは問もん題だいだ。
Once would be one thing, but repeating the same mistake three times is a problem.
一次还可以原谅，同样的错误反复犯三次就有问题了。
遅ち刻こくするならまだしも、連れん絡らくもせずに休やすむのは社しゃ会かい人じんとして失しっ格かくだ。
Being late is one thing, but skipping work without even calling is unacceptable for a working adult.
迟到还情有可原，不联系就缺勤就不配做职场人士了。
冗じょう談だんで言いうならまだしも、本ほん気きでそう思おもっているのなら問もん題だいだ。
If you were joking, that'd be one thing, but if you really think that, it's a problem.
开玩笑这么说还好，要是当真这么想就有问题了。

Notes

The first case is just about tolerable; the real situation is worse. More conversational than 〜ならいざしらず. Variant: 〜はまだしも.

#contrast#criticism#concession

Related N1 grammar

〜(よ)うが / 〜(よ)うと〜(よ)うが〜まいが / 〜(よ)うと〜まいと〜かと思いきや〜きらいがある〜極まる / 〜極まりない〜始末だ〜であれ / 〜であれ〜であれ〜ではあるまいし

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code

import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('nara-mada-shimo');

{
  "id": "nara-mada-shimo",
  "pattern": "〜ならまだしも",
  "romaji": "nara mada shimo",
  "level": "N1",
  "meaning": "if it were ..., it would be one thing (but)",
  "formation": "Noun + ならまだしも / Verb-plain + (の) + ならまだしも",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "一度ならまだしも、同じミスを三度も繰り返すのは問題だ。",
      "furigana": "{一|いち}{度|ど}ならまだしも、{同|おな}じミスを{三|さん}{度|ど}も{繰|く}り{返|かえ}すのは{問題|もんだい}だ。",
      "en": "Once would be one thing, but repeating the same mistake three times is a problem."
    },
    {
      "ja": "遅刻するならまだしも、連絡もせずに休むのは社会人として失格だ。",
      "furigana": "{遅刻|ちこく}するならまだしも、{連絡|れんらく}もせずに{休|やす}むのは{社会|しゃかい}{人|じん}として{失格|しっかく}だ。",
      "en": "Being late is one thing, but skipping work without even calling is unacceptable for a working adult."
    },
    {
      "ja": "冗談で言うならまだしも、本気でそう思っているのなら問題だ。",
      "furigana": "{冗談|じょうだん}で{言|い}うならまだしも、{本気|ほんき}でそう{思|おも}っているのなら{問題|もんだい}だ。",
      "en": "If you were joking, that'd be one thing, but if you really think that, it's a problem."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "contrast",
    "criticism",
    "concession"
  ],
  "notes": "The first case is just about tolerable; the real situation is worse. More conversational than 〜ならいざしらず. Variant: 〜はまだしも.",
  "zh": {
    "source_hash": "37881b5635ec6df499ee03a67318ba355c75e54585b3694bdc5f3e3f5e6f0368",
    "meanings": [
      "如果是……还情有可原"
    ],
    "formation": "名词＋ならまだしも；动词普通形＋（の）ならまだしも",
    "explanation": "前项尚可接受，而实际情况更严重。",
    "notes": "也有はまだしも。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "一度ならまだしも、同じミスを三度も繰り返すのは問題だ。",
        "zh": "一次还可以原谅，同样的错误反复犯三次就有问题了。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "遅刻するならまだしも、連絡もせずに休むのは社会人として失格だ。",
        "zh": "迟到还情有可原，不联系就缺勤就不配做职场人士了。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "冗談で言うならまだしも、本気でそう思っているのなら問題だ。",
        "zh": "开玩笑这么说还好，要是当真这么想就有问题了。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n1.json#nara-mada-shimo",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "review_hash": "a342cf719f21212558d2bbd1976eec7f16e7358c3f3c7136d5a735e7b10527ad",
    "status": "reviewed",
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28"
  }
}