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万が一 (mangaichi) Japanese meaning: if by some chance | Kotomora
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If by any chance you think you'll be late, please call.
Even if the worst should happen, please don't panic.
Usage patterns 万まん が 一いち 〈 事こと 〉 があったら if by some chance something happens
If there is ever an accident, please contact me immediately.
万まん が 一いち に 備そな える to prepare for the worst-case scenario
I keep emergency supplies ready to prepare for the worst.
万まん が 一いち 〈 事こと 〉 でも even if by some slim chance ~
Even if you happen to fail, please don't give up.
万まん が 一いち のとき in case of an emergency
In case of an emergency, please call this number.
Related words 万一 and 万が一 both mean 'in the unlikely event that', but 万が一 sounds more emphatic and is more common in casual speech.
もし is the general, neutral word for 'if', while 万が一 specifically stresses that the possibility is extremely small.
ひょっとして expresses a casual guess about a slim possibility, whereas 万が一 is used to set up a hypothetical low-probability condition, often with serious consequences.
Etymology Compound of 万 (ten thousand) + が (possessive particle) + 一 (one), literally 'one in ten thousand'. The reading まんがいつ is a rare historical variant.
