ややもすれば

Japanese

Alternative spelling
動もすれば

Alternative forms

ややもすると (yaya mo suru to)
ややもせば (yaya mo seba)

Etymology

稍(やや) (yaya, “slightly”) particle も (mo, “even”) すれ (sure), the 仮定形(かていけい) (kateikei) of する (suru, “to do”) hypothetical conditional particle ば (-ba, “if”); literally "if one does slightly [then the subject in question will...]", i.e. "easily, inclined to".

The superimposition of the kanji 動 (“move”) onto やや (yaya, “slightly”), a component with a different meaning than the superimposed kanji, is only in this set phrase, and can be understood in the context of movement, as in "if one [ever so slightly as] moves [then the subject in question will...]".

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ja̠ja̠ mo̞ sɨɾe̞ba̠]

Adverb

ややもすれば • (yaya mo sureba)

easily; inclined to