まし・増しmashi[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
- na-adjectivebetter; preferable; less objectionable; least-worstesp. マシ
- noun (suffix)more; increase; extra
- nounincrease; growth
Conjugation
| Plain form | まし |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | ましです |
| Negative (dewa nai) | ましではない |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | ましではありません |
| Past (datta) | ましだった |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | ましではなかった |
| Te form (de) | ましで |
| Adverbial (ni) | ましに |
| Conditional (nara) | ましなら |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- SynonymベターNeutralA loanword meaning somewhat better, as in 「ベターな選択」; common in speech and free of the reluctant, least-bad nuance of 「増し」.
- Synonymより良いよりよいNeutralA phrase for something genuinely better, positive and somewhat written in tone; 「増し」 often means only barely better than the alternative.
Use 「増し」 for the least-bad option when weighing two evils, as in 「ないよりは増し」. For something genuinely better use 「より良い」; in casual speech 「ベター」 is the natural pick.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


