しかし (しかし) — Japanese Vocabulary

しかし — しかし (shikashi)

Part of speech: Conjunction (接続詞) JLPT level: N4 Reading: しかし (shikashi) Meaning: however, but

Word Breakdown

しかし (shikashi) is a kana-only word. It is derived from the classical Japanese verb shikaru (然る), meaning "to be so" or "to be thus," combined with the particle shi (し), which indicates a past or completed state. Etymologically, it literally translates to "that being the case" or "it having been so," which evolved into the adversative conjunction used to introduce a statement that contrasts with the preceding one.

All Readings

As this word is written in kana, there are no kanji readings to list.

Example Sentences

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
彼は親切だ。しかし、少し厳しい。	かれはしんせつだ。しかし、すこしきびしい。	Kare wa shinsetsu da. Shikashi, sukoshi kibishii.	He is kind. However, he is a bit strict.
今日は忙しい。しかし、行かなければならない。	きょうはいそがしい。しかし、いかなければならない。	Kyou wa isogashii. Shikashi, ikanakereba naranai.	I am busy today. However, I must go.
彼は努力した。しかし、失敗した。	かれはどりょくした。しかし、しっぱいした。	Kare wa doryoku shita. Shikashi, shippai shita.	He made an effort. However, he failed.
天気がいい。しかし、外は寒い。	てんきがいい。しかし、そとはさむい。	Tenki ga ii. Shikashi, soto wa samui.	The weather is nice. However, it is cold outside.
計画は完璧だった。しかし、時間が足りなかった。	けいかくはかんぺきだった。しかし、じかんがたりなかった。	Keikaku wa kanpeki datta. Shikashi, jikan ga tarinakatta.	The plan was perfect. However, there wasn't enough time.
彼女は歌が上手だ。しかし、ダンスは苦手だ。	かのじょはうたがじょうずだ。しかし、ダンスはにがてだ。	Kanojo wa uta ga jouzu da. Shikashi, dansu wa nigate da.	She is good at singing. However, she is bad at dancing.
薬を飲んだ。しかし、熱は下がらない。	くすりをのんだ。しかし、ねつはさがらない。	Kusuri o nonda. Shikashi, netsu wa sagaranai.	I took medicine. However, the fever won't go down.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
だが	だが	daga	but (masculine/blunt)
でも	でも	demo	but (casual)
けれど	けれど	keredo	although/but (polite)
ところが	ところが	tokoroga	however/to my surprise
それでも	それでも	soredemo	even so
にもかかわらず	にもかかわらず	ni mo kakawarazu	despite that
また	また	mata	and/also/again
つまり	つまり	tsumari	in other words

Common Mistakes

❌ しかしを文の途中で使う → ✓ しかしは文の最初で使う — Shikashi is a conjunction used to start a new sentence. To connect clauses within one sentence, use ga (が) or keredomo (けれども).

❌ 友達と話す時にしかしを多用する → ✓ 友達にはでもやけどを使う — Shikashi sounds formal and slightly stiff. In casual conversation, it can sound like you are giving a speech.

In Context — Mini Dialogue

A: 明日、映画に行かない？ (Ashita, eiga ni ikanai? / Won't you go to a movie tomorrow?) B: 行きたいです。しかし、明日はテストがあります。 (Ikitai desu. Shikashi, ashita wa tesuto ga arimasu. / I want to go. However, I have a test tomorrow.) A: そうですか。残念ですね。 (Sou desu ka. Zannen desu ne. / Is that so? That's a shame.) B: また今度誘ってください。 (Mata kondo sasotte kudasai. / Please invite me again next time.)

Usage Notes

Shikashi is a formal, written-style conjunction. It is perfectly acceptable in spoken Japanese, but it carries a weight of seriousness. When you use shikashi, you are signaling to the listener that you are about to present a significant contrast or a logical contradiction to what was just said. It is frequently used in essays, news reports, and formal business presentations.

In contrast to demo (casual) or ga (conjunction particle), shikashi always begins a new sentence. If you find yourself using shikashi too often in casual speech, you may sound overly dramatic or like you are reading from a textbook. For daily, friendly conversation, stick to dakedo or demo.