Yap.Town

しも

not necessarily, at least, if anything

particle Rare #43,329
not necessarily Usually used in the expression 必ずしも, which commonly appears with a negative.
JA: 高いものが必ずしもよいとは限りません。
EN: Expensive things are not necessarily good.

高価な時計が必ずしもよい時計であるとは限らない。

An expensive watch isn’t necessarily a good watch.

努力は必ずしも報われるものではない。

Effort is not always rewarded.

サッカーは必ずしも男だけに限られたものではない。

Soccer isn’t necessarily limited to men.

preposition Rare #43,330
at least, if anything Usually appears in まだしも, meaning that something is comparatively more acceptable or preferable. In かならずしも, it forms the expression かならずしも〜ない, meaning “not necessarily.”
JA: 雨の日ならまだしも、雪の日に出かけたくない。
EN: I wouldn’t mind going out on a rainy day, but not on a snowy one.

有能ならまだしも仕事も雑だと聞いた

It’d be one thing if they were competent, but I hear their work is sloppy too.

— 最強のふたり (2011)

世界の反対側にいる海賊ならまだしも、隣の島の海賊など到底許せない。

I might be able to put up with pirates on the other side of the world, but pirates from the neighboring island are absolutely unforgivable.

彼は午前中はかならずしも忙しくない。

He isn’t necessarily busy in the morning.

この方がまだしもあれよりよい。

This is still better than that.