目錄
Korean “-기조차” means “even doing something…” and is commonly used to highlight an extreme situation that goes beyond what would normally be expected. For example, “밥을 먹기조차 힘들어요” does not simply mean that eating is difficult. It implies that the situation has become so severe that even a basic action such as eating is difficult to manage. Compared with an ordinary “도” sentence, “-기조차” therefore adds a stronger sense of surprise, frustration, or severity.
“조차” itself does not literally mean “minimum threshold.” A more complete way to understand it is that something you would not normally expect to be affected is now included as well. Sometimes that item is a basic action such as eating, walking, or speaking. In other cases, it may be something like “even the closest person did not believe me” or “even the top student failed the exam.” With “-기조차,” this sense of extremity is applied specifically to the act of doing something.
What Does Korean “-기조차” Mean? Expressing “Even Doing Something…”
“-기조차” consists of the nominalizing ending “-기” and the auxiliary particle “조차.”
“-기” first turns the preceding action or state into something noun-like that can be discussed, and “조차” then adds the emphasis “even this is included.”
For this reason, “-기조차” is frequently followed by expressions such as “어렵다,” “힘들다,” “못하다,” “싫다,” and “두렵다,” which describe difficulty, inability, resistance, or psychological discomfort.
The important point is not that the sentence must literally contain “안” or “못.” What matters is whether the overall sentence conveys the idea that “even this step has been affected.”
- Example: 감기에 심하게 걸려서 목소리를 내기조차 힘들어요.
Romanization: gam-gi-e sim-ha-ge geol-lyeo-seo mok-so-ri-reul nae-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-yo.
Translation: I have such a bad cold that even speaking is difficult.
Producing a voice is normally a very basic action, but even that has become difficult, so “-기조차” makes the severity of the illness more noticeable. - Example: 그 소식은 믿기조차 어려웠어요.
Romanization: geu so-sig-eun mit-gi-jo-cha eo-ryeo-wo-sseo-yo.
Translation: That news was almost impossible to believe.
“믿기조차 어렵다” does not directly mean that the news is false. It means the news is so unexpected that even psychologically accepting it as believable is difficult. - Example: 너무 바빠서 점심을 먹기조차 힘들었어요.
Romanization: neo-mu ba-ppa-seo jeom-sim-eul meok-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was so busy that I could barely even eat lunch.
Lunch is a basic everyday need, so the fact that work interfered even with eating makes the sentence stronger than a simple “점심도 못 먹었어요.”
Korean “-기조차” Conjugation: Attach “-기조차” Directly to the Verb Stem
“-기조차” attaches directly to the stem of a verb or adjective. It does not change to “으기” depending on whether the preceding syllable has a final consonant.
Therefore, the correct forms are “먹기조차,” “걷기조차,” and “믿기조차,” not “먹으기조차” or “걷으기조차.”
This is because the actual structure is “stem＋-기＋조차.” The nominalizing ending “-기” itself does not have an “-으기” variation based on 받침.
| What It Attaches To | Structure | Example | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb | Verb stem＋기조차 | 먹기조차 | Even doing an action… |
| Verb | Verb stem＋기조차 | 걷기조차 | Even walking… |
| Cognitive／psychological verb | Stem＋기조차 | 믿기조차 | Even believing… |
| Adjective | Adjective stem＋기조차 | 평범하기조차 | Even being／remaining in a certain state… |
| Noun | Noun＋조차 | 이름조차 | Nouns do not require “-기” |
How “-기조차” Is Built｜“-기” Nominalizes, and “조차” Means “Even…”
For example, “걷다” means “to walk.” Adding “-기” creates “걷기,” meaning “walking” or “the act of walking.” Adding “조차” then gives “걷기조차,” literally “even the act of walking.”
- Example: 다리가 너무 아파서 걷기조차 힘들어요.
Romanization: da-ri-ga neo-mu a-pa-seo geot-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-yo.
Translation: My leg hurts so much that even walking is difficult.
“걷다 → 걷기 → 걷기조차” clearly shows the structure of nominalization followed by the auxiliary particle.
How Do Nouns Take “조차”? Use “N＋조차” Directly
If the preceding word is already a noun, simply attach “조차” directly.
For example, “이름조차 모르다” means “not even know the name.” You cannot say “이름기조차.”
- Example: 그 사람의 이름조차 몰라요.
Romanization: geu sa-ram-ui i-reum-jo-cha mol-la-yo.
Translation: I don’t even know that person’s name.
“이름” is already a noun, so it takes “조차” directly.
Does “조차” Require a Negative Ending? It Can Be Used Without “안／못”
“조차” frequently appears with “못,” “않다,” and “없다,” but this is not a strict grammatical requirement.
Expressions such as “어렵다,” “힘들다,” and “싫다” are not formally negative endings, but they already convey disadvantage, difficulty, or resistance, so they combine naturally with “-기조차.”
- Example: 그 이야기는 생각하기조차 싫어요.
Romanization: geu i-ya-gi-neun saeng-gak-ha-gi-jo-cha sil-eo-yo.
Translation: I don’t even want to think about it.
There is no “안” or “못,” but “싫다” already expresses strong psychological resistance, so “-기조차” works naturally.
Three Common Uses of Korean “-기조차”: Physical Difficulty, Psychological Difficulty, and Criticism
“-기조차” most commonly appears in three types of situations: basic physical actions becoming difficult, psychological difficulty in accepting or expressing something, and failure to perform even an action that would normally be expected.
All three uses share one feature: the speaker deliberately selects a representative action to show that the situation has gone beyond ordinary expectations.
“-기조차” Use ①｜Even Basic Actions Such as Eating, Walking, or Sleeping Become Difficult
When someone is sick, injured, overworked, or dealing with extremely difficult conditions, “-기조차” is useful for showing that ordinary daily actions have already been affected.
This is where the idea of a “minimum threshold” is easiest to understand. If even eating, walking, or sleeping is difficult, then activities requiring more energy are unlikely to be easy either.
- Example: 발목을 다쳐서 계단을 오르기조차 어려워요.
Romanization: bal-mo-geul da-chyeo-seo gye-dan-eul o-reu-gi-jo-cha eo-ryeo-wo-yo.
Translation: I injured my ankle, so even climbing stairs is difficult.
The injury directly affects climbing stairs, and “-기조차” emphasizes how seriously movement is restricted. - Example: 아기가 계속 울어서 어젯밤에는 잠을 자기조차 힘들었어요.
Romanization: a-gi-ga gye-sok ul-eo-seo eo-jet-bam-e-neun ja-meul ja-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-sseo-yo.
Translation: The baby kept crying, so last night it was difficult even to sleep.
Sleep is one of the most basic forms of rest. If even sleeping is difficult, the sentence suggests that the entire night was severely disrupted. - Example: 몸에 힘이 없어서 침대에서 일어나기조차 힘들었어요.
Romanization: mo-me him-i eop-seo-seo chim-dae-e-seo il-eo-na-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I had so little energy that even getting out of bed was difficult.
Getting out of bed is an extremely ordinary action, so “-기조차” clearly shows the extent of the person’s weakness.
“-기조차” Use ②｜Even Believing, Understanding, Imagining, or Saying Something Becomes Difficult
“-기조차” is not limited to physical actions. It commonly combines with cognitive and psychological verbs such as “믿다,” “이해하다,” “상상하다,” “생각하다,” and “말하다.”
In these sentences, the limitation is psychological rather than physical.
News may be too shocking, an explanation may be too complicated, or emotional pressure may be so strong that believing, understanding, or even bringing something up becomes difficult.
- Example: 그가 갑자기 떠났다는 사실을 받아들이기조차 힘들었어요.
Romanization: geu-ga gap-ja-gi tteo-na-sda-neun sa-si-reul ba-da-deu-ri-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-sseo-yo.
Translation: It was difficult even to accept the fact that he had suddenly left.
“받아들이다” describes psychologically accepting a fact. “-기조차” indicates that, at the time, even reaching that stage was difficult. - Example: 설명이 너무 복잡해서 무슨 뜻인지 이해하기조차 어려웠어요.
Romanization: seol-myeong-i neo-mu bok-jap-hae-seo mu-seun tteu-sin-ji i-hae-ha-gi-jo-cha eo-ryeo-wo-sseo-yo.
Translation: The explanation was so complicated that it was difficult even to understand what it meant.
This does not mean understanding is permanently impossible. It means the information was so complicated that even grasping the basic meaning was difficult at that moment. - Example: 너무 충격적이라서 그 장면을 다시 생각하기조차 싫었어요.
Romanization: neo-mu chung-gyeok-jeo-gi-ra-seo geu jang-myeo-neul da-si saeng-gak-ha-gi-jo-cha sil-eo-sseo-yo.
Translation: It was so shocking that I did not even want to think about that scene again.
“싫다” expresses psychological resistance, so “-기조차” remains natural even without “못” or “않다.”
“-기조차” Use ③｜Not Even Doing Something That Should Normally Be Expected
“-기조차” can also criticize someone’s behavior.
If an action is regarded as basic courtesy, responsibility, or the minimum expected response, and the person does not even do that, the sentence easily conveys disappointment or blame.
This is much stronger than an ordinary “안 했어요.”
“인사하지 않았어요” simply reports that someone did not greet another person. “인사하기조차 하지 않았어요” adds the evaluation “they did not even do something as basic as greeting.”
- Example: 그 사람은 인사하기조차 하지 않았어요.
Romanization: geu sa-ram-eun in-sa-ha-gi-jo-cha ha-ji a-na-sseo-yo.
Translation: That person did not even say hello.
Greeting someone is considered basic courtesy, so “조차” makes the criticism stronger than a simple “인사하지 않았어요.” - Example: 문제가 생겼는데 상황을 설명하기조차 싫어했어요.
Romanization: mun-je-ga saeng-gyeon-neun-de sang-hwang-eul seol-myeong-ha-gi-jo-cha sil-eo-hae-sseo-yo.
Translation: A problem occurred, but they did not even want to explain the situation.
Once a problem occurs, explaining the situation would normally be expected, so refusing even to explain creates a clear sense of dissatisfaction. - Example: 약속을 어겼는데 사과하기조차 하지 않았어요.
Romanization: yak-so-geul eo-gyeon-neun-de sa-gwa-ha-gi-jo-cha ha-ji a-na-sseo-yo.
Translation: They broke the promise and did not even apologize.
After breaking an agreement, apologizing is treated as the minimum expected response, so the sentence carries strong criticism.
What’s the Difference Between Korean “-기조차,” “-기도,” “-마저,” and “-까지”?
“-기조차” is easy to confuse with “-기도,” “-마저,” and “-까지” because all four can sometimes be translated with expressions such as “even” or “also.”
However, they focus on different things.
“-기도” primarily adds another action or state.
“조차” highlights an extreme or unexpected item.
“마저” often gives the impression that even the last remaining thing has now been included.
“까지” can extend a range all the way to a particular boundary or unexpected item.
| Point | “-기조차” | “-기도” | “-마저” | “-까지” |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core nuance | Even this extreme case is included | Also does／also has this state | Even the final remaining item | Even up to this item／extent |
| Common in negative contexts? | Very common | Not necessarily | Common, but not absolute | Not necessarily |
| Strong unexpectedness? | Strong | Weak | Strong | Depends on context |
| “Minimum threshold” feeling? | Common | No | Not necessarily | Not necessarily |
| Common English | Even…, not even… | Also… | Even…, even the last… | Even…, as far as… |
“-기조차” vs. “-기도”｜Extreme Emphasis vs. Ordinary Addition
“-기도” can simply mean that someone also does something or that another condition also exists. It does not inherently require negativity or surprise.
“-기조차” deliberately pushes an action toward an extreme position, showing that even this action has been affected.
- Example: 요즘은 밥을 먹기도 힘들어요.
Romanization: yo-jeu-meun ba-beul meok-gi-do him-deu-reo-yo.
Translation: These days, even eating can be difficult.
Depending on context, “-기도” can mean that eating is also difficult, but the emphasis is relatively weaker. - Example: 요즘은 밥을 먹기조차 힘들어요.
Romanization: yo-jeu-meun ba-beul meok-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-yo.
Translation: These days, even eating has become difficult.
“조차” makes eating an extreme example and implies that the situation has begun affecting a very basic everyday need.
“조차” vs. “마저”｜Unexpected Inclusion vs. Even the Last Remaining Thing
“조차” focuses on the fact that even something you would not normally expect to be affected is included.
“마저,” by contrast, often carries the sense that other things have already been lost or affected, and now even the final remaining item follows.
For example, if many people have already left and the last remaining friend leaves too, “친구마저 떠났다” sounds natural because the emphasis falls on the last remaining person being added to the loss.
- Example: 가장 친한 친구조차 제 말을 믿지 않았어요.
Romanization: ga-jang chin-han chin-gu-jo-cha je ma-reul mit-ji a-na-sseo-yo.
Translation: Even my closest friend did not believe me.
The closest friend would normally be expected to be among the most likely people to believe the speaker, so “조차” highlights the collapse of that expectation. - Example: 마지막으로 남아 있던 친구마저 떠났어요.
Romanization: ma-ji-ma-geu-ro na-ma it-deon chin-gu-ma-jeo tteo-na-sseo-yo.
Translation: Even the last friend who remained eventually left.
“마저” naturally matches “마지막으로 남아 있던” because the focus is on the final remaining item disappearing as well.
“조차” vs. “까지”｜Extreme Item vs. Expansion of Range
“까지” originally expresses a range meaning “up to” or “as far as.”
When used additively, it often feels as though the range expands all the way to an unexpected person, thing, place, or degree.
“조차,” by contrast, places stronger emphasis on how unexpected that particular item is.
- Example: 아이까지 그 사실을 알고 있었어요.
Romanization: a-i-kka-ji geu sa-si-reul al-go i-sseo-sseo-yo.
Translation: Even the child knew about it.
“까지” expands the group of people who knew the fact to include a child. The sentence does not have to be negative. - Example: 아이조차 그 말을 믿지 않았어요.
Romanization: a-i-jo-cha geu ma-reul mit-ji a-na-sseo-yo.
Translation: Even the child did not believe what was said.
“조차” highlights the unexpected exclusion of someone who might otherwise have been expected to believe it, giving the sentence a stronger sense of surprise and negativity.
How Do You Choose Between “-기조차,” “-기도,” “마저,” and “까지”?
If you simply want to say “also do this,” “-기도” is enough.
If you specifically want to say “even this action, which should hardly have been affected, has become impossible or difficult,” use “-기조차.”
If the context already contains a series of negative events and even the final remaining thing is lost or affected, “마저” is more appropriate.
If you are simply extending a range to include an unexpected person, item, place, or degree, “까지” has a broader range of use.
Does Korean “-기조차” Always Express a Minimum Threshold? The Real Focus Is Expectation Violation
Understanding “-기조차” as “even the minimum level…” is convenient, but it cannot explain every sentence.
The common function of “조차” is to include an extreme item that falls outside ordinary expectations.
In “밥을 먹기조차 힘들다,” eating can indeed be treated as a basic need.
In “믿기조차 어렵다,” however, believing is not universally a “minimum threshold.” The point is that the news is so unbelievable that even the psychological act of believing it is affected.
The same principle applies to “우등생조차 시험에 떨어졌다,” meaning “Even the top student failed the exam.”
There is no basic physical need involved. The sentence still perfectly reflects the nuance of “조차” because the high-performing student is precisely the person least expected to fail.
The “minimum threshold” idea is a useful shortcut, but a more accurate question is:
Is this something that would normally be among the least expected things to be affected, yet it has been affected too?
If the answer is yes, “조차” has a clear reason to be there.
Korean “-기조차” in Real Conversation: Illness, Shock, and Criticism
“-기조차” is stronger than ordinary “도,” so it works well when describing situations that have moved beyond normal levels.
When talking about your own physical or psychological condition, it often conveys frustration or helplessness.
When evaluating someone else’s behavior, it can become openly critical.
In formal workplace situations, if you simply want to describe a problem neutrally, “조차” may not always be necessary.
For example, “자료를 읽기가 어렵습니다” simply says that the material is difficult to read.
“자료를 읽기조차 어렵습니다” implies that the condition of the material is so poor that even the basic step of reading it is difficult.
Scenario ①｜A Cold So Severe That Speaking Is Difficult
A：목소리가 왜 그래요?
mok-so-ri-ga wae geu-rae-yo?
What happened to your voice?
B：감기가 너무 심해서 말하기조차 힘들어요.
gam-gi-ga neo-mu sim-hae-seo mal-ha-gi-jo-cha him-deu-reo-yo.
My cold is so bad that even speaking is difficult.
📌 Grammar Point: “말하기조차 힘들다” does not simply mean that the speaker’s throat feels uncomfortable. It means that even the basic action of speaking has been affected.
Scenario ②｜Hearing News That Is Difficult to Accept
A：그 소식 들었어요?
geu so-sik deu-reo-sseo-yo?
Did you hear the news?
B：네. 처음에는 믿기조차 어려웠어요.
ne. cheo-eu-me-neun mit-gi-jo-cha eo-ryeo-wo-sseo-yo.
Yes. At first, it was hard even to believe it.
📌 Grammar Point: “믿기조차 어렵다” means that the information is so unexpected that it is psychologically difficult to accept. It does not mean the speaker has determined that the information is false.
Scenario ③｜Discussing Someone Who Missed a Meeting Without Contacting Anyone
A：회의에 못 온다고 연락은 했대요?
hoe-ui-e mot on-da-go yeol-la-geun hae-ss-dae-yo?
Did they at least contact anyone to say they couldn’t make the meeting?
B：아니요. 연락하기조차 하지 않았대요.
a-ni-yo. yeol-lak-ha-gi-jo-cha ha-ji a-na-ss-dae-yo.
No. Apparently, they didn’t even contact anyone.
📌 Grammar Point: Contacting others before missing a meeting is normally considered a basic responsibility. Using “-기조차” therefore clearly conveys criticism.
Cultural Notes:
- “조차” is generally stronger than “도.” “도” can appear in completely neutral affirmative sentences such as “커피도 마셨어요,” meaning “I also drank coffee.” “조차,” however, usually requires some kind of unexpected background, or the sentence may sound unnecessarily emphatic.
- “마저” and “조차” both frequently appear in unfavorable situations, but they create different images. “조차” is closer to “even this happened,” while “마저” often implies accumulation: “other things were already gone, and now even this last one…”
- Using “-기조차 하지 않았다” to describe another person’s behavior introduces a clear evaluation. “사과하기조차 하지 않았다” does more than report that the person did not apologize. It also implies criticism that they failed to do even the most basic thing expected of them.
How Does Korean “-기조차” Compare with Japanese “〜ことさえ／〜ことすら”?
Japanese “〜ことさえ” and “〜ことすら” can both correspond to the Korean “-기조차” meaning “even doing something….”
All three can single out an extreme or unexpected action and make the following difficulty, negation, or surprising result more prominent.
Japanese “さえ” has a broad range of uses. It can express a minimum condition or simply “even….”
“すら” also means “even,” but it generally sounds more literary or emphatic.
Korean “조차” has a similar intensifying function, although the full sentence still needs to provide an unexpected or extreme context.
◆ Similar Grammar ①: Japanese “〜ことさえ”
“〜ことさえ” treats the entire action as the emphasized item, making its structure very similar to Korean “-기조차.”
- Example: 病気で、食べることさえ難しいです。
Kana: びょうきで、たべることさえむずかしいです。
Translation: Because of the illness, even eating is difficult.
“食べること” turns the full action into nominal content, and “さえ” emphasizes that even this basic action has been affected. This is close to “먹기조차 어렵다.” - Example: その知らせは信じることさえできませんでした。
Kana: そのしらせは、しんじることさえできませんでした。
Translation: I could not even believe the news.
Psychologically, even believing it was impossible, giving the sentence an extreme quality similar to Korean “믿기조차 어려웠다.” - Example: 彼は謝ることさえしませんでした。
Kana: かれは、あやまることさえしませんでした。
Translation: He did not even apologize.
Apologizing is treated as a response that should normally follow the event, so both “さえ” and “조차” can add criticism.
◆ Similar Grammar ②: Japanese “〜ことすら”
“すら” likewise means “even,” but it tends to sound more written and is more common in articles, commentary, or relatively formal narration.
- Example: 立つことすらできないほど疲れていました。
Kana: たつことすらできないほど、つかれていました。
Translation: I was so tired that I could not even stand up.
“立つことすらできない” and Korean “일어서기조차 힘들다” both use a basic action to show the severity of exhaustion. - Example: 当時は、その事実を受け入れることすら難しかったです。
Kana: とうじは、そのじじつをうけいれることすらむずかしかったです。
Translation: At the time, even accepting that fact was difficult.
This kind of extreme psychological difficulty can likewise be expressed in Korean as “받아들이기조차 어려웠다.” - Example: 名前を口にすることすら嫌でした。
Kana: なまえをくちにすることすらいやでした。
Translation: I did not even want to say the name out loud.
Strong psychological resistance excludes even the act of saying the name, creating a nuance close to “말하기조차 싫었다.”
◆ Core Differences from “-기조차”:
Korean “-기조차” uses “-기” to nominalize the preceding predicate and “조차” to add extreme inclusion.
Japanese typically uses “dictionary-form verb＋ことさえ／ことすら.”
All three may be translated into English as “even…,” but the important question is whether the sentence deliberately singles out an item that goes beyond normal expectations.
You should not use the grammar automatically just because the English sentence contains “even.”
“-기조차” does not need to be memorized as simply a “stronger version of -도.”
The real difference is whether the sentence needs to place one particular action at the extreme end of the scale.
“밥도 못 먹었어요” simply says that the speaker did not even eat.
“밥을 먹기조차 힘들었어요” says that the act of eating itself had become difficult.
The idea of a “minimum threshold” is useful, but when you encounter expressions such as “믿기조차 어렵다” or other psychological verbs, a more accurate question is:
“Is this something I would not normally expect to be affected, yet even this has been affected?”
That extra layer of unexpected emphasis is what Korean “-기조차” really adds.
FAQ
“-기조차” means “even doing something….” It singles out a basic, extreme, or otherwise unexpected action and includes it in the situation being described.
The following expression commonly describes difficulty, negation, restriction, or psychological resistance. For example, “걷기조차 어렵다” means “even walking is difficult.”
The correct form is “-기조차.” No “으” is required.
It consists of the nominalizing ending “-기” and the auxiliary particle “조차,” so “먹다 → 먹기조차” and “걷다 → 걷기조차.” The form does not change according to whether the verb stem has a final consonant.
“-기도” primarily expresses ordinary addition and can often be translated as “also….”
“-기조차” emphasizes that even an extreme or unexpected action has been affected.
“밥을 먹기도 힘들다” can simply mean that eating is also difficult, while “밥을 먹기조차 힘들다” more strongly suggests that the situation has become so severe that even eating itself is a problem.
No. The sentence does not need to contain formal negatives such as “안” or “못.”
However, the overall meaning usually involves disadvantage, difficulty, negation, resistance, or an expectation being violated.
“믿기조차 어려웠어요” and “생각하기조차 싫어요” contain no “안” or “못,” but both are completely natural uses of “-기조차.”
“조차” emphasizes that even an extreme or unexpected item is included.
“마저” more commonly adds the final remaining item to an existing situation.
For example, “친한 친구조차 믿지 않았다” means “Even my close friend did not believe me,” highlighting an unexpected person who also failed to believe.
“마지막 친구마저 떠났다” means “Even the last remaining friend left,” emphasizing that the final remaining person was lost as well.