Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Used to list multiple reasons, causes, or characteristics that lead to a conclusion or describe a situation.
🎯 Primary Function
To connect clauses that express parallel reasons or qualities.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (Plain Form) + し
I-adjective (Plain Form) + し
Na-adjective Stem + だ + し
Negative Plain Form (～ない / ～なかった) + し
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Generally avoided in very formal documents; standard polite form (～ですし) is used in polite conversation.
Informal Situations
Extremely common among friends and family to explain situations or list opinions.
Written Language
Used in blogs, personal letters, and casual social media posts.
Spoken Language
Very common for giving excuses or listing multiple items quickly.
💡 Common Applications
Listing Reasons
When you have more than one reason for liking something or making a decision.
Example: あのお店は安いし、美味しいです。 (That shop is cheap and delicious.)
Emphasizing a Point
Using ‘shi’ at the end of a single reason implies there are other factors involved as well.
Example: 雨も降っているし、行きません。 (It’s raining [and other reasons], so I won’t go.)
Frequency
High in both spoken and informal written Japanese.
Difficulty
JLPT N4 (Intermediate Beginner)
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Example Sentences
Example #1
このアパートは安いし、駅に近いし、とても便利です。
Furigana: このアパートはやす（安）いし、えき（駅）にちか（近）いし、とてもべんり（便利）です。
Romaji: Kono apaato wa yasui shi, eki ni chikai shi, totemo benri desu.
English: This apartment is cheap, close to the station, and very convenient.
Example #2
今日は休みだし、天気もいいし、散歩に行きましょう。
Furigana: きょう（今日）はやす（休）みだし、てんき（天気）もいいし、さんぽ（散歩）にい（行）きましょう。
Romaji: Kyou wa yasumi da shi, tenki mo ii shi, sanpo ni ikimashou.
English: It’s a holiday and the weather is good, so let’s go for a walk.
Example #3
彼は頭もいいし、スポーツも得意だし、本当にすごい。
Furigana: かれ（彼）はあたま（頭）もいいし、スポーツもとくい（得意）だし、ほんとう（本当）にすごい。
Romaji: Kare wa atama mo ii shi, supootsu mo tokui da shi, hontou ni sugoi.
English: He is smart and good at sports, so he’s truly amazing.
Example #4
お腹も空いたし、喉も渇いたし、何か食べに行きませんか。
Furigana: おなか（腹）もす（空）いたし、のど（喉）もかわ（渇）いたし、なに（何）かた（食）べにい（行）きませんか。
Romaji: Onaka mo suita shi, nodo mo kawaita shi, nani ka tabe ni ikimasen ka.
English: I’m hungry and thirsty, so why don’t we go grab something to eat?
Example #5
日本語は難しいし、漢字もたくさんあるし、大変です。
Furigana: にほんご（日本語）はむずか（難）しいし、かんじ（漢字）もたくさんあるし、たいへん（大変）です。
Romaji: Nihongo wa muzukashii shi, kanji mo takusan aru shi, taihen desu.
English: Japanese is difficult and has many kanji, so it’s tough.
Example #6
雨も降っているし、寒いし、外に出たくありません。
Furigana: あめ（雨）もふ（降）っているし、さむ（寒）いし、そと（外）にで（出）たくありません。
Romaji: Ame mo futte iru shi, samui shi, soto ni detaku arimasen.
English: It’s raining and it’s cold, so I don’t want to go outside.
Example #7
あの店は料理も美味しいし、サービスもいいです。
Furigana: あの みせ（店）は りょうり（料理）も おい（美味）しいし、サービスもいいです。
Romaji: Ano mise wa ryouri mo oishii shi, saabisu mo ii desu.
English: That restaurant has delicious food and good service.
Example #8
時間もないし、お金もないし、旅行には行けません。
Furigana: じかん（時間）もないし、おかね（お金）もないし、りょこう（旅行）にはい（行）けません。
Romaji: Jikan mo nai shi, okane mo nai shi, ryokou ni ikemasen.
English: I have no time and no money, so I can’t go on a trip.
Example #9
この歌はメロディーもいいし、歌詞も素敵です。
Furigana: このうた（歌）はメロディーもいいし、かし（歌詞）もすてき（素敵）です。
Romaji: Kono uta wa merodii mo ii shi, kashi mo suteki desu.
English: This song has a good melody and the lyrics are lovely.
Example #10
仕事も終わったし、帰りましょう。
Furigana: しごと（仕事）もお（終）わったし、かえ（帰）りましょう。
Romaji: Shigoto mo owatta shi, kaerimashou.
English: Work is finished (and other things are done), so let’s head home.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Implied Reasons
Ending a sentence with ‘shi’ implies there are additional reasons that haven’t been explicitly stated.
Example: 明日は休みだし… (Tomorrow is a holiday [and there’s more…])
Co-occurrence with ‘mo’ (も)
Often used with the particle ‘mo’ (also) to emphasize the accumulation of points.
Example: お金もあるし、時間もある。 (I have money AND I have time.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 便利し (Benri shi)
✅ 便利だし (Benri da shi)
Na-adjectives and Nouns require ‘da’ before ‘shi’ in the plain form.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Considered casual/standard. Using it with ‘desu/masu’ makes it polite enough for daily professional interactions.
Social Situations: Commonly used when making a case for something or justifying a decision to others.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan, though intonation may vary slightly by region.
🔍 Subtle Differences
～し vs ～て (te-form)
‘Te’ is a neutral connector for sequence; ‘Shi’ emphasizes that the items are reasons or supporting evidence.
When to use: Use ‘shi’ when you want to explain ‘why’ you feel a certain way or made a choice.
～し vs ～から (kara)
‘Kara’ usually gives one direct reason; ‘Shi’ allows for listing multiple reasons in a parallel fashion.
When to use: Use ‘shi’ when you have two or more reasons to list.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Always use the plain (dictionary) form before ‘shi’ (e.g., Taberu shi, Oishii shi). For Na-adjectives and Nouns, use ‘da’ (e.g., Suki da shi). In polite speech, you can use ‘~masu shi’ or ‘~desu shi’.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Avoid a long ‘shii’ sound; it is a short, crisp ‘shi’.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘shi’ as ‘plus’ or an ‘and’ that lists reasons. It acts like a bullet point in a sentence.
Other Grammar
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