～し (and what's more)

• Reading: し
• Romaji: shi
• Formation: Clause (plain form) + し + Clause + し (+ conclusion)

Meaning

A conjunction used to list multiple reasons, qualities, or facts in an emphatic way. It implies there are additional reasons beyond what is stated and often leads to a conclusion or opinion.

し is used to present multiple reasons or characteristics, often building toward a conclusion. Unlike て-form listing, which is neutral, し carries an emphatic, persuasive nuance — the speaker is piling up evidence to support a point. It can appear once (この店は安いし、行こう) or multiple times for emphasis (安いし、おいしいし、近いし). し follows plain forms: い-adjectives directly (高いし), な-adjectives with だ (静かだし), nouns with だ (学生だし), and verbs in plain form (行くし). The conclusion is often an opinion, suggestion, or emotional reaction. In casual speech, し at the end of a sentence can trail off, implying 'among other things.'

Examples

1. この店は安いし味もいいし最高だ。 This shop is cheap and the food is good — it's the best.
2. 雨も降っているし風も強いし出かけたくない。 It's raining and the wind is strong, so I don't want to go out.
3. 彼は優しいし頭もいいし人気がある。 He is kind and smart, so he's popular.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, everyday

Tone: persuasive

Do Say

• あの映画は面白いし感動するし見てよかった。
• 時間もあるし天気もいいし散歩に行こう。
• 彼女は料理もうまいし掃除もするしいい人だ。

Don't Say

• この部屋は広いし、きれいし。(な-adjectives need だ before し — きれいだし) → この部屋は広いし、きれいだし。
• 天気がいいしから出かけよう。(し and から are both conjunctions — do not combine them) → 天気がいいし出かけよう。

Origin & History

Derives from the classical Japanese conjunctive particle し, which originally functioned as a sentence-final emphasis marker before evolving into a reason-listing conjunction.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal