if not

Adverb

not-comparable

Used to link a semantically weaker word to a semantically stronger word following the adverb, both sharing the same basic meaning, indicating the increased likelihood of the former.

Japanese Meaning

二つの表現が基本的に同じ意味を持つ場合、前に置かれた（意味的に弱い）語句が、後に続く（意味的に強い）語句に対して、実際にはより可能性が高いことを示す接続表現として用いられる。 / もしその状況でなければ、という条件付けを示しつつ、両者の意味が類似していることを前提に、後者の表現によってより強調されるニュアンスを伝えるための表現

What is this buttons?

The new policy is short-sighted if not dangerous.

Google Translation / DeepL Translation

その新しい方針は短絡的であるどころか、危険でさえある。

Details

Sense（1）

Used to link a semantically weaker word to a semantically stronger word following the adverb, both sharing the same basic meaning, indicating the increased likelihood of the former.

People who talk about an imminent possibility of war seldom pose this question: What would North Korea’s leadership get from unleashing a war that they are likely to lose in weeks, if not days?

Google Translation / DeepL Translation

Details

if not

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