もしくは

• 読み: もしくは
• ローマ字: moshikuwa
• 漢字の分解: 若 (moshi) — if (ateji usage)
• 発音: /mo.ɕi.kɯ.wa/

意味

Or; otherwise. A formal conjunction used to present an alternative.

A conjunction used to present alternatives, similar to または but slightly more formal. Can be written 若しくは in kanji but is overwhelmingly written in hiragana. Common in legal documents, official notices, and formal writing. In everyday speech, または or それとも are more natural. In legal language, もしくは connects items at a lower grouping level while または connects higher-level groups.

例文

1. 電話もしくはメールでご連絡ください。
2. 現金もしくはクレジットカードでお支払いいただけます。
3. 本人もしくは代理人が窓口に来てください。

使い方ガイド

場面: legal, official documents, formal writing, announcements

トーン: formal

起源と歴史

From the classical Japanese adjective 若し (moshi, 'if') + the particle くは. Originally an expression meaning 'if it were otherwise,' which evolved into a conjunction meaning 'or/alternatively.' The kanji 若 (young) is an ateji usage here.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal