Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

然 (しか) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

然しか

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

interjection

like that; as such

archaic

Archaic interjection expressing 'in that way' or 'so'. Not used in modern conversation; appears in classical texts.

古こ語ごでは「しか」は「そのように」という意い味みの感かん動どう詞しとして使つかわれた。
In classical Japanese, しか was used as an interjection meaning 'like that' or 'as such'.

2

interjection

Casual interjection of agreement or acknowledgment, similar to 'yeah' or 'uh-huh'. Used in informal speech.

「明日あした、映えい画がに行いかない？」「しか。」
"Wanna go to a movie tomorrow?" "Yeah."
友とも達だちの話はなしに「しか」と相あい槌づちを打うつ。
I nod along to my friend's story with an 'uh-huh'.

Written forms

然しか
Archaic kanji spelling; the word is now almost always written in kana.
爾しかUsage85%
Extremely rare historical kanji; not used in modern writing.
しかUsage15%
Standard modern kana spelling for both senses.

Kanji

然sort of thing, so, if so

爾you, thou, second person

Similar words

そう
そう is the standard modern word for 'like that' or 'so', used in all registers. しか is archaic or very casual.
うん
うん is the most common casual 'yeah' in modern Japanese. しか is a less common variant with a similar function.

Etymology

Derived from classical Japanese 然 (shika), meaning 'in that way'. The casual interjection sense developed from the archaic meaning, but the exact path is uncertain.