-기는커녕

much less, not only

Explanation

This expression is used to indicate that not only is the content in the preceding clause not easily realized but also that the content in the following clause is even more so.

Thus, the content of the following clause is usually more basic or simpler than that of the preceding clause.

Usually, this expression takes the form of -기는커녕 도(조차) 안 -/못 -/없다.

This expression is also used when the speaker wants to express the fact that the content of the preceding clause is naturally difficult to realize or achieve and when the content of the following clause represents a different, or even the opposite, situation of what is expected in the preceding clause.

In this case, the expression is often used together with 오히려.

Details

1. When used with nouns, this expression takes the form of 은커녕/는커녕.

아침은커녕 점심도 아직 못 먹었어요.
요즘은 손님은커녕 문의 전화도 한 통 없어요.

2. With almost no change in meaning, -기는커녕 can be replaced with -는 것은 고사하고 while 은커녕/는커녕 can be replaced with 은/는 고사하고.

일찍 올 거라더니 일찍 오기는커녕 늦는다는 전화 한 통 없네요.
=일찍 올 거라더니 일찍 오는 것은 고사하고 늦는다는 전화 한 통 없네요.
아침은커녕 점심도 아직 못 먹었어요.
=아침은 고사하고 점심도 아직 못 먹었어요.

Kimchi Reader

Used typically in negative sentences in the form 'A는커녕 B', meaning that not only did a negative event A happen (or a positive event A did not happen), but that an even more negative event B happened (or a less positive event B did not happen either).

Examples
유경은 대학교<span class='focus'>커녕</span> 초등학교도 다니지 못했다.
Yugyeong wasn't able to attend elementary school, much less college.
그 시절 운동<span class='focus'>은 커녕</span> 하루의 절반은 누워 있었다.
Back then, not only did I not exercise, I spent half of each day lying down.
1999년에 지구 멸망<span class='focus'>은커녕</span> 멀쩡하게 잘 돌아가고 있었다.
Not only did the world not end in 1999, everything was going just fine.

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