5716
I'm studying grammar, and one of the new forms that I'm learning uses the word
まだしも. I looked it up and I found:

> 類語：
>
> まだいいが / まだ何とかなるが

Based on how the word is used in the following examples:

> 1人や2人ならまだしも，10人も事務所へ押し掛けて来て参った
>
> I could have handled [coped with] one or two of them, but I was
> flabbergasted when ten people pushed their way into my office.
>
> 寒いだけならまだしも，おなかがすいてきた
>
> I was not only cold but also hungry.／I would not have minded the cold so
> much, but I also began to feel hungry.

I'm wondering if まだしも can be broken into multiple parts まだ, し, and も. Where まだ
would indicate "as yet; hitherto; still; not yet". If this is possible, what
role does しand も play in the context of this word? I'm wondering why し and も
constitute to the "いいが" or "何とかなるが" portion. Specifically が.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-31T01:56:37.530
5701
2012-06-01T01:01:25.763
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
1328
question
grammar particles
Can the word まだしも be broken up into distinct meanings?
Yes, it can be broken down into multiple parts like
[sawa](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5701/can-the-
word-%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A0%E3%81%97%E3%82%82-be-broken-up-into-distinct-
meanings#comment14397_5701) explains.

Together しも intensifies the meaning of the word it is attached to (強意を表す) and
comes from classical Japanese ([古典]{こてん})
([reference](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch/0/0ss/108805600000/)).

Here are some examples of しも in use (however, in modern Japanese, only these
set phrases are used):

> 誰 **しも** 悪役を演じなければいけない時がある。
>
> 希望は無きに **しも** あらずだ。
>
> 必ず **しも** そうとはいえない。
>
> 初桜折り **しも** 今日は良き日なり
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-01T01:01:25.763
5716
2012-06-01T01:01:25.763
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
1217
5701
answer