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Formation: N + すら; N + ですら (as subject); N + にすら／とすら etc.; V-(よ)うと + すらしない
Gives an extreme or minimal example to suggest that everything else is obviously the same, as in 'not even X, so naturally not Y either'. It is most often used with negative verbs or in critical or surprised statements. It means much the same as 〜さえ but sounds more written and emphatic. Unlike さえ, すら does not form a conditional, so there is no すら〜ば to match 〜さえ〜ば. 〜だに is even more literary and is mostly limited to fixed phrases like 想像するだに and 夢にだに思わない.
Variants: ですら、にすら、とすら、すら〜ない
Examples
- あまりの疲れで、立っていることすらできなかった。
I was so exhausted I couldn't even stay on my feet. - 専門家ですら予測できなかった事態だ。
It is a situation that even the experts could not foresee. - 彼は自分の誤りを認めようとすらしない。
He won't even try to admit his mistake.
In real texts 1 occurrence(s)
『映画ちいかわ』を国際政治学から読み解く：なぜ争いは始まり、なぜ終わらないのか · 2026年11月6日
しかも、その対立が別の島へと波及する可能性すら示唆されているのである。
What is more, even the possibility that this confrontation will spread to another island is suggested.
すら attaches to 可能性 and replaces the subject marker of the passive 示唆されている. Together with しかも, it escalates the argument: the hostility not only remains, but even the possibility of its spreading is suggested. The writer chooses it over the more everyday さえ for its formal, emphatic tone. Note that the claim stays hedged: the spread is only a suggested possibility, not a stated fact.