かも知れない

Japanese
Kanji in this term
知
し
Grade: 2
kun’yomi

Alternative forms

Etymology

This is a compound phrase of the interrogative particle か (ka, used to form questions, also used as a coordinating particle similar to English whether), the inclusive particle も (mo, “even, also”) plus the negative potential non-past form 知(し)れない (shirenai, literally “can not know”) of the verb 知(し)る (shiru, “to know something”), all together literally meaning “can not even know whether [preceding statement]”.[1]

Pronunciation
  • (Tokyo) か​もしれない [káꜜ mò shìrènàì] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
  • IPA(key): [ka̠ mo̞ ɕiɾe̞na̠i]

Particle

かも知(し)れない • (ka mo shirenai) 

  1. may, might, perhaps
    雨(あめ)降(ふ)るかもしれない。
    Ame furu ka mo shirenai.
    It cannot even be known whether it will rain. → It might rain.

References
  1. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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