万まん一いち

also: ばんいち · まんいつ · ばんいつ

ま

ん

い

ち

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

emergency; worst-case scenario; unlikely event

Refers to a highly unlikely but serious situation; often used in conditional or hypothetical contexts. The literal gloss '10000 to 1' is a figurative expression of extreme unlikelihood.

万まん一いちのことがあったら、この番ばん号ごうに電でん話

わ

し

て

ください

。

If something should happen (in the unlikely event of an emergency), please call this number.

万まん一いちに備そなえて保ほ険けんに入はいっておく。

I have insurance just in case (to prepare for the worst).

2

adverb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

if by any chance; in the unlikely event that

Adverbial use expressing a remote possibility; often paired with conditional forms like ～たら, ～ば, or ～ても.

万まん一いち雨あめが降ふったら、試し合あいは中ちゅう止しです。
If by any chance it rains, the game will be canceled.
万まん一いちのことがあっても、慌あわてないでください。
Even in the unlikely event that something happens, please don't panic.

Usage patterns

万まん一いちの場ば合あいin case of emergency / in the unlikely event that something happens
万まん一いちの場ば合あいはこちらに連れん絡らくしてください。
In case of an emergency, please contact us here.
万まん一いち〈事こと〉があってもeven if 〈event〉 happens, unlikely as it may be
万まん一いち事じ故こがあっても、保ほ険けんで対たい応おうできます。
Even if an accident happens, by chance, we can handle it with insurance.
万まん一いち〈事こと〉たらif by any chance 〈event〉 happens
万まん一いち忘わすれたら、電でん話わしてください。
If you happen to forget, please call me.

Expressions

万まん一いちのためjust in case; as a precaution
万まん一いちに備そなえるprepare for the worst; provide against contingencies

Kanji

万ten thousand, 10,000
一one, one radical (no.1)

Related words· 6

万まんが一いちN2
万が一 is a slightly more emphatic, often written variant of 万一, used in the same unlikely-event contexts.
もしN4sense 2
もし is a plain, everyday 'if' that lacks the strong nuance of extreme unlikelihood carried by 万一.
仮かりにN1sense 2
仮に sets up a hypothetical for the sake of discussion, while 万一 specifically flags the hypothesis as very improbable.
有ゆう事じ sense 1
有事 names an actual emergency or crisis that has occurred, whereas 万一 refers to the mere (unlikely) possibility of one.

Show 2 more

もしN5
万一 is a more formal word emphasizing a rare, worst-case possibility, while もし is the everyday, general word for introducing any hypothetical.
もしもN3
万一 is a more formal term meaning 'in the unlikely event', typically used for emergencies or worst-case scenarios, whereas もしも is a general emphatic 'if' usable in everyday hypotheticals.

Written forms

万一Usage99%
- まんいち
  Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
- ばんいち
  out-dated reading
- ばんいつ

Etymology

From 万 (ten thousand) and 一 (one), literally 'one in ten thousand', expressing extreme rarity or unlikelihood.

out-dated reading

まんいつ

out-dated reading

まんいちUsage1%

Kana spelling is common in casual writing and when the kanji is not needed.

ばんいち

out-dated reading

Obsolete kana usage; not used in modern Japanese.

まんいつ

out-dated reading

Obsolete kana usage; not used in modern Japanese.

ばんいつ

out-dated reading

Obsolete kana usage; not used in modern Japanese.