1.
let alone; much less; to say nothing of
Used to indicate that if something is difficult or true for one situation, it is even more so for a more extreme situation. Often used with negative statements.
2.
still more; even more so
Used to emphasize that something applies even more strongly to what follows.
It's crowded even on nice days. All the more so during holiday periods, it's terribly packed.
I'm busy even normally, and even more so at year's end — I don't have time to rest.
Forms
- ましてや - emphatic form (let alone, much less)
ましてや is the more emphatic form, common in both speech and writing.
Common patterns
Typically appears in structure:
[A でも/すら X]、まして[B では/なら なおさら Y]
(Even A can't do X, let alone B can't do Y)
Common collocations
Usage
- Often follows statements with でも, すら, さえ (even)
- Usually connects to negative or emphatic statements
- Written in hiragana; not typically written in kanji
Similar words
- いわんや - the literary equivalent, rare today
- なおさら - "all the more"; often closes the まして clause (まして B ならなおさらだ)
- 〜はもちろん - "not to mention", but the order is reversed: with はもちろん the obvious case comes first (子供はもちろん大人も), while まして brings in the obvious case second
Register
Neutral to slightly formal. Common in both spoken and written Japanese.