TOPIK II · LEVEL 4
-조차
-조차 means 'even (something so basic)', stressing that not even the minimum happened.
조사ParticlesHan: For a positive 'even the hard ones too' use 까지; 조차 goes with negative outcomes.
Examples
그 사람 이름조차 기억이 안 나요.I can't even remember that person's name.
너무 바빠서 밥 먹을 시간조차 없었어요.I was so busy I didn't even have time to eat.
아파서 물조차 마실 수 없었다.I was so sick I couldn't even drink water.
Don’t mix up
-조차vs-도도 is neutral 'also/even'; 조차 is stronger and almost always negative: 물도 못 마셨어요 vs 물조차 못 마셨어요.How to build it
N+조차
이름 → 이름조차, 물 → 물조차
- Usually followed by a negative or a negative situation.
- Common with -지 못하다 / 없다 / 모르다.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 어려운 문제조차 다 풀었어요.
Right: 어려운 문제까지 다 풀었어요.
For a positive 'even the hard ones too' use 까지; 조차 goes with negative outcomes.
Practise -조차 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)로서-(으)로서 means 'as (in the role or capacity of)'.
- -(이)나마(이)나마 marks something as small or not quite enough, while showing that the speaker still accepts or values it: "even if it's only this, at least…"
- -(으)로부터-(으)로부터 is a formal 'from' for a source or starting point (people, places, time).
- -(이)라든지-(이)라든지 lists examples or alternatives: 'such as A or B / A, B or something'.
- -은/는 물론이고N은/는 물론이고 means 'not to mention N / N, of course, and also …'.
- -마저-마저 means 'even (the last remaining one)': on top of other bad things, even this.
- -치고N치고 means 'for a N / considering it is a N', and the result is different from what you would expect of that kind of thing; with a negative ending it means 'no N at all, without exception'.
- N만 하다N만 하다 compares size or degree: 'as big as N / about the size of N'.
- -(으)나-(으)나 is a formal written 'but / however', linking two contrasting clauses.