〜はおろか

1. Meaning and Nuance
〜はおろか translates to 'let alone' or 'to say nothing of.' It is used when the speaker treats the first item (Noun A) as an 'obvious given' or a 'matter of course' (Aは当然として), emphasizing that if A is out of the question, then B is even more so. For affirmative sentences, it can also translate to 'not only A, but even B.' It carries a strong negative or critical nuance, highlighting how extreme a situation is by showing that even a basic requirement isn't met, let alone a more difficult one.

2. Structure and Attachment
It attaches directly to Nouns or Nominalized Verbs (Verb + の or こと).
The standard structure is:
[Noun A] 〜はおろか [Noun B] + も / さえ / すら / まで / だって + [Predicate]
Note that Noun A and Noun B must belong to the same category or scale (e.g., both are languages, both are places) for the comparison to work. In negative sentences, Noun A represents a higher hurdle or more difficult thing, while Noun B represents the bare minimum or basic thing. In affirmative sentences, Noun A is the basic thing, and Noun B is the extreme thing. An emphasizing particle (such as も, さえ, すら, まで, or だって) after Noun B is almost always required.

3. Predicate Restrictions
The predicate typically expresses a negative state, lack, or difficulty. While often using negative verb forms (e.g., できない、持っていない), it can also include words indicating impossibility or a problematic situation, such as 困難だ（こんなんだ）、無理だ（むりだ）、or 危ない（あぶない）. Grammatically affirmative verbs can also be used if the overall outcome is negative or disastrous (e.g., 奪っていった). Importantly, because it describes objective states, it cannot be used with expressions of volition, commands, or requests (e.g., 〜たい, 〜てください, or 命令形).

4. Register and Nuance Differences
This is a formal and literary expression. You will encounter it in news reports and formal writing. In casual speech, people often prefer どころか or はもちろん. A critical difference is the 'No Positive Praise' rule: while どころか can be used for positive surprises and outcomes (e.g., getting 120 points instead of just 100), 〜はおろか is strictly restricted to negative or bad situations. You cannot use it for positive additions. For example, you cannot say ×あのカレー屋はカレーはおろかサラダもおいしい (That curry shop's salad is delicious, let alone its curry) or use it to say someone speaks both English and French. For positive praise, you must use どころか or はもちろん instead. Additionally, while どころか can attach to verbs and adjectives, 〜はおろか only attaches to nouns.

5. Etymology and Writing
It derives from the classical Japanese adjective おろか (written as 疎か), which meant 'inadequate,' 'insufficient,' or 'negligent.' The nuance of being inadequate 'to express in words' comes from the classical set phrase 言ふもおろかなり (to even say it is inadequate). The historical logic is: 'To even mention A is inadequate/unnecessary (because it goes without saying), let alone B.' Note that in modern Japanese, this grammar pattern is almost exclusively written in hiragana (はおろか). Writing it in kanji is extremely rare and advised against. Be careful not to confuse the kanji 疎か（おろか - negligent/inadequate） with 愚か（おろか - foolish）.