もしくは

Japanese Grammar Advanced Japanese ★★★ 3/5 formal もしくはmoshikuwa
Reading もしくは
Romaji moshikuwa
Formation A もしくは B

Meaning

A conjunction meaning 'or,' used to disjunctively connect two items, ideas, or conditions. It presents mutually exclusive alternatives in a formal or official context.

もしくは is a formal disjunctive conjunction that presents two alternatives, often implying that one or the other — but not both — should be chosen. It is more formal than または and is especially common in legal documents, contracts, official regulations, application forms, and academic writing. Unlike あるいは, which can also function as an adverb of possibility, もしくは strictly connects alternatives. In legal and bureaucratic Japanese, もしくは connects smaller alternatives within a group, while または connects larger groups — this distinction is codified in legislative drafting conventions.

Examples

  1. 応募には履歴書もしくは職務経歴書を添付してください。 Please attach a CV or a career history document with your application.
  2. 身分証明書として、運転免許証もしくはパスポートを提示する必要がある。 You need to present a driver's licence or a passport as identification.
  3. 代金は現金もしくは銀行振込でお支払いいただけます。 Payment can be made by cash or bank transfer.

Usage Guide

Context: written, legal, business

Tone: official

Do Say

  • 申請書は窓口もしくは郵送で提出してください。
  • 試験は筆記もしくは口頭で実施される。
  • 違反者には罰金もしくは業務停止命令が科される場合がある。

Don't Say

  • 今日もしくは明日、映画を見に行こう。(Using もしくは in casual conversation — too stiff) → 今日か明日、映画を見に行こう。
  • りんごもしくはみかんもしくはバナナを買ってきて。(Chaining もしくは in a casual list — unnatural) → りんごかみかん、もしくはバナナを買ってきて。

Origin & History

もしくは derives from the classical conditional もし (if) combined with the particle は, originally meaning 'if it were the case that.' Over time it grammaticalised into a formal disjunctive conjunction used to present alternatives.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

また An adverb and conjunction meaning 'also,' 'again,' or 'moreover,' used to indicate repetition of an action or addition of a new but related point. It is one of the most versatile connectors in Japanese. さて An interjection or conjunction used to shift the topic of conversation or mark a transition to a new subject. It signals that the speaker is moving on from the current discussion to address something different or to begin the main point. ただ A conjunction meaning 'however' or 'but,' used to introduce a supplementary remark, reservation, or minor qualification to the preceding statement. It softens the contrast compared to しかし or だが. ちなみに A conjunction meaning 'by the way' or 'incidentally,' used to add supplementary or tangential information related to the current topic. It connects the preceding context with an additional piece of information the speaker considers relevant or interesting. 更に An adverb and conjunction meaning 'furthermore,' 'additionally,' or 'even more,' used to indicate that something is being added to or escalated beyond what was already mentioned. It can express both addition and intensification. あるいは A conjunction meaning 'or,' 'alternatively,' or 'possibly,' used to present alternatives or to suggest another possibility. It connects two or more options, choices, or hypotheses within a sentence or across sentences. もっとも A conjunction meaning 'although,' 'having said that,' or 'though,' used to add a comment that partially retracts, qualifies, or puts into perspective what the speaker has just said. It acknowledges the validity of the preceding statement while introducing a counterbalancing consideration. 且つ・かつ A conjunction meaning 'and' or 'as well as,' used to connect words, phrases, or sentences to indicate that two qualities, conditions, or actions coexist simultaneously. It emphasises that both elements apply at the same time.
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