ややもすれば
Japanese
editAlternative spelling |
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動もすれば |
Alternative forms
editEtymology
edit稍 (yaya, “slightly”) + particle も (mo, “even”) + すれ (sure), the 仮定形 (kateikei) of する (suru, “to do”) + hypothetical conditional particle ば (-ba, “if”); literally "if one does slightly [then the subject in question will...]", i.e. "easily, inclined to".
The superimposition of the kanji 動 (“move”) onto やや (yaya, “slightly”), a component with a different meaning than the superimposed kanji, is only in this set phrase, and can be understood in the context of movement, as in "if one [ever so slightly as] moves [then the subject in question will...]".
Pronunciation
editAdverb
editややもすれば • (yaya mo sureba)