Far From / Let Alone (-기는커녕)

-기는커녕 strongly negates the expected action or state and implies the reality is even worse: 감사하기는커녕 화를 냈어요 (Far from being grateful, they got angry). The pattern emphasizes the gap between expectation and reality.

It can also be used with nouns directly as 커녕: 밥은커녕 물도 못 마셨어요 (Let alone a meal, I couldn't even drink water). The noun form is very common in everyday speech.

The second clause typically contains 도/조차 (even) with a negative ending, showing that not even a lesser thing was achieved: 여행은커녕 외출도 못 해요 (Let alone traveling, I can't even go out).