Number + も
Emphasis, As ~ as, Not even
Structure
Explanation
The adverbial particle も is used to mark something (A) as belonging to a certain group, particularly when its inclusion is surprising or out of the ordinary. In this sense, it adds emphasis to the unexpected nature of the situation.
When も is placed after a number and a counter, it highlights that the quantity itself is surprising. This can be because the amount is significantly larger or smaller than what one would normally expect. Because of this, も can be translated as 'as many as (A)', 'as long as (A)', or 'not even (A)', among other similar phrases.
- 一日に５冊も本を読んだので、目が痛い。I read as many as 5 books in one day, so my eyes hurt.
- このカバン、１０万円もするんですか。This bag costs as much as 100,000 yen?
- お金が１円もないから、何も買えない。I don't have even a single yen, so I can't buy anything.
While this might seem different from も's common translation as 'too' or 'also', the core function is the same. In all cases, も is simply adding an unexpected element to a previously mentioned category.
- 僕もラーメンが好きだ。I like ramen too.
The sentence above simply indicates that the speaker is unexpectedly including themself in the group of 'people who like ramen', which may have previously only included the person they are talking to.
Examples
先月は本を２０冊も読みました。
I read as many as 20 books last month.
あの映画はもう３回も見ました。
I have already seen that movie as many as 3 times.
駅で２時間も友達を待ちました。
I waited for my friend at the station for as long as two hours.
このカバン、５万円もしたんです。
This bag cost as much as 50,000 yen!
コンサートには３００人も集まったそうだ。
I heard that as many as 300 people gathered for the concert.
財布に１円も入っていなかった。
There wasn't even one yen in my wallet.
彼は一度も授業に遅刻したことがない。
He has never once been late for class.
弟はケーキを４個も食べてしまった。
My little brother ended up eating as many as four pieces of cake.
東京には１０年も住んでいました。
I lived in Tokyo for as long as 10 years.
今日だけで、新しいメールが５０件も届いた。
Just today alone, I received as many as 50 new emails.
一人でワインを３本も飲んだの？
You drank as many as three bottles of wine all by yourself?
私は漢字が一つも読めません。
I can't read even a single kanji.