しか

See also: しが, じか, and じが

Japanese

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɕiká], [ɕ̩ká]

• IPA^(key): [ɕika̠]

• Audio:

  (file)

Particle

しか • (shika) 

1. nothing but, only (with negative verb)

   頑(がん)張(ば)るしかない。

   Ganbaru shika nai.

   All we can do is keep on trying our best.

   (literally, “There is nothing but trying our best.”)

   クオリティが高(たか)すぎて本(ほん)物(もの)にしか見(み)えない。

   Kuoriti ga takasugite honmono ni shika mienai.

   The quality is so high that it looks just like the real thing.

   (literally, “The quality is so high that I can't see it as anything except the real thing.”)

   曖(あい)昧(まい)にしか語(かた)らなかった

   aimai ni shika kataranakatta

   only spoke vaguely

   (literally, “did not speak except vaguely”)

Usage notes

• しか (shika) is always used with a negative verb; as such, another interpretation could be "except for".
• しか directly follows "the thing considered as the only choice", and always comes before the negative particle.

  私(わたし)しかこれを買(か)わない

  watashi shika kore o kawanai

  Only I will buy this.

  私(わたし)はこれしか買(か)わない

  watashi wa kore shika kawanai

  I will buy only this.

  私(わたし)はこれを買(か)うしかない

  watashi wa kore o kau shika nai

  I have to buy this.

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of しか – see the following entry: 爾

(The following entry is uncreated: 爾.)

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of しか – see the following entry.

【鹿】4 [noun] deer [noun] (historical) prostitute in the Osaka licensed quarter whose fee was 16 momme; the grade below the 太夫 (tayū), and the 天神 (tenjin) Alternative spelling シカ

(This term, しか (shika), is the hiragana spelling of the above term.) For a list of all kanji read as しか, see Category:Japanese kanji read as しか.)

Etymology 4

For pronunciation and definitions of しか – see the following entries.

【史家】 [noun] historian

【歯科】 [noun] dentistry [noun] (by extension) a dentist's office

(This term, しか (shika), is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.) For a list of all kanji read as しか, see Category:Japanese kanji read as しか.)