# でも: すぐにでも



## kachibi

”でも”について質問がある。

できるものなら、すぐに*でも*国へ帰りたい。

文中の”でも”の意味は何ですか。


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## SoLaTiDoberman

でも、(でも)の意味や使い方 Weblio辞書

*３* 物事をはっきりと言わず、一例として挙げる意を表す。「けがでもしたら大変だ」「兄にでも相談するか」

すぐに*でも*
＝*なるべく*早く
＝as soon as *possible*
=* anytime* soon
=at once* if possible*
=at once *for example*
=immediately* if any*


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## kachibi

Thank you, but I cannot read all Japanese. Can someone use English to explain it in full?


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## SoLaTiDoberman

物事をはっきりと言わず、一例として挙げる意を表す。
It avoids saying something directly and expresses it as an example.


「けが*でも*したら大変だ」
"It would be a big problem if you have trouble *such as* getting injured."

「兄に*でも*相談するか」
"I'll ask someone, *for example*, my brother."


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## Flaminius

I don't disagree with デジタル大辞泉's understanding of this word, but it feels lacking.  Each of these usages (すぐにでも, けがでも, and 兄にでも) provides the least extent for the statement to be true.  The homesick person wants to travel back home.  Given that preparing for a travel takes some time, the listener may understand that the travel will be within a week or two.  But this person is ready for home when you are!

けがでも:
Apprehension for injuries (presumably as light as scars and bruises) is an enough reason for the speaker to be careful.  Needless to say, thoughts of hospitalisation and death are likely to trigger the speaker even more.

兄にでも:
The speaker thinks that their elder brother is suitable for discussing something with.  There may be a better person to talk to, but the speaker is okay with the brother if no one else is available.


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## kachibi

So all in all, can I say it means "for example", "such as", "perhaps", or alike?

できるものなら、すぐに*でも*国へ帰りたい。

Then does it mean something like: _If I can, I *for example/perhaps* want to go back to my country immediately._


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## Flaminius

This reads like sarcasm, but it's not.  You cannot translate でも into English like the above.  An example in the opposite direction is the first sentence of my post.  No Japanese construction is available for translating the English "[inanimate object] + read intr."

If I am forced to explain it with a simple construction in English, here it goes:
Xでも ===> X, not to mention (other contextually relevant candidates)


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## kachibi

Still, a bit abstract to understand it.

Can someone provide more examples of でも (of the above usage) and translate the sentences into English. Perhaps I will understand by studying more examples.


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## SoLaTiDoberman

Now, I think that #2 and #4 are not good explanations for すぐにでも.
I don't think that "at least 'immediately' not to mention 'sometime later' " makes sense.
It seems apparently the opposite.

How about this?
できるものなら、すぐに*でも*国へ帰りたい。
_If I'm allowed to do it, I'd like to go home very soon...* Say,..  right now! *_
*(For example,*_* right now!*_*)*

edit for the correction）
できるものなら、すぐに*でも*国へ帰りたい。
_If I'm allowed to do it, I'd like to go home very soon...* Say,..  *__right now__! _
*(For example,*_ right now!__)_


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## Flaminius

More examples, *kachibi*?  How about these?

A: ぼくには逆上がりができるんだぞ、えらいだろう!
B: 逆上がりなんて、だれにでもできるよ!　自慢にならないよ。

いい天気ですね。散歩にでも行きませんか?　時間があれば遠出してもいいですね。


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## kachibi

Okay, now I try to accept its meaning as "right now". So, applying what @SoLaTiDoberman to @Flaminius example:

いい天気ですね。散歩に*でも*行きませんか?　

Can I say it means:

_Today the weather is good! Shall we go to stroll around *RIGHT NOW*?_


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## Katzuhiko Minohara

"right now"?  今直ぐに　　
でも　has a lot of meanings depending to the context,
but I don't think that it has the meaning of right now

いい天気ですね。散歩に*でも*行きませんか?　
でも is "to something like"

散歩に*でも　*行きませんか
*例えば*　散歩　*みたいな事に*　行きませんか


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## Flaminius

> _Shall we go to stroll around *RIGHT NOW*?_


No.  You should have applied the "for example" bit to my example.  Walking about outdoors is the least of what the speaker wants to do with the listener.  As in the sentence immediately after, demo implies the existence of other candidates for their outdoor activities.


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## SoLaTiDoberman

I just edit the bold letters in #9, in order to avoid your confusion.
Sorry.

_Today the weather is good! Shall we go to stroll around *RIGHT NOW*?  
Today the weather is good! Shall we do something?*... Say,* going to stroll around?
Today the weather is good! Shall we do something? *For example, *strolling around?_


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## kachibi

Thanks, then I just accept it as "say", "for example" or alike in this sentence.

It has many other meanings as well right?


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## Flaminius

Well, I have touched upon one of the meanings of _-demo_ for which "for example" won't do: だれにでもできる (Anyone can).  

The structure consisting of a Wh-expression and _-demo_ makes up a universal statement; だれでも (everyone), いつでも (any time), どこからでも (from any place), to name a few.

I thought this is worth mentioning and I've already mentioned it in a previous post, but if you think it's unrelated to your thread-opening question, then please ignore this.


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## kachibi

だれでも (everyone), いつでも (any time), どこからでも (from any place).

@Flaminius Do you mean they are some "set phrases" that all words inside just come together to mean those meanings (everyone, anytime and from any place) and we do not just focus on -demo and try to find out its meaning inside these set phrases?


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## Flaminius

I don't understand your question.  If my #16 confuses you, just ignore it.  I took your "It has many other meanings as well right?" for a request, but it' getting clear that I am overwhelming you with examples.


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## kachibi

An additional question.

I know ても and でも both mean even if/ though. However, only でも can mean "for example", "like", etc.

I learnt the above from dictionaries.

But I would like to get it confirmed by native Japanese people.


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