いかほど

Composed of いか (how, what) and ほど (degree, extent). A formal interrogative adverb used to ask about quantity, degree, or extent. Can appear in both direct questions and rhetorical expressions. Common in business correspondence, formal speech, and literary writing.

Common patterns

• いかほどでしょうか: How much would it be? (polite inquiry about price)
• いかほど〜か: how much / to what extent (rhetorical)
• いかほどのものか: how great is it, really?

Similar words

• いくら: how much — the standard, everyday equivalent
• どのくらい: how much, to what extent — conversational equivalent
• どれほど: how much, to what extent — moderately formal, between どのくらい and いかほど in register
• いかに: how, in what way — another formal interrogative, focuses on manner rather than degree

Register

いかほど is notably more formal than いくら or どのくらい. It is appropriate in business letters, formal inquiries, and literary prose, but would sound stiff in casual conversation.