Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘Starting with…’ or ‘Not only… but also…’ (used to introduce a representative example).
🎯 Primary Function
To pick out one representative or primary item from a group to emphasize the extent of the whole group.
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun + をはじめ / をはじめとして / をはじめとする + Noun
Not typically used directly with i-adjectives; requires nominalization.
Not typically used directly with na-adjectives; requires nominalization.
Not used in negative forms.
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Very common in business, speeches, and news reports.
Informal Situations
Used less frequently; replaced by things like ‘toka’ or ‘mo’ in casual talk.
Written Language
Frequently found in newspapers, essays, and academic papers.
Spoken Language
Common in presentations, announcements, and formal addresses.
💡 Common Applications
Introducing key examples
Used to list a primary example that represents a larger group.
Example: 「この学校には、校長先生をはじめ、素晴らしい先生が多い。」
Formal speeches
Commonly used in formal ceremonies to address a specific group first.
Example: 「ご来賓の方々をはじめ、皆様に感謝申し上げます。」
Frequency
High in formal writing and public speaking.
Difficulty
Intermediate (JLPT N3)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
日本には、富士山をはじめ、美しい山がたくさんあります。
Furigana: にほんには、ふじさんをはじめ、うつくしいやまがたくさんあります。
Romaji: Nihon ni wa, Fujisan wo hajime, utsukushii yama ga takusan arimasu.
English: In Japan, there are many beautiful mountains, starting with Mt. Fuji.
Example #2
このレストランは、カレーをはじめ、どの料理もおいしいです。
Furigana: このレストランは、カレーをはじめ、どのりょうりもおいしいです。
Romaji: Kono resutoran wa, karee wo hajime, dono ryouri mo oishii desu.
English: Everything at this restaurant is delicious, starting with the curry.
Example #3
校長先生をはじめ、先生方には大変お世話になりました。
Furigana: こうちょうせんせいをはじめ、せんせいがたにはたいへんおせわになりました。
Romaji: Kouchou-sensei wo hajime, senseigata ni wa taihen osewa ni narimashita.
English: I am very grateful to the teachers, starting with the principal.
Example #4
アニメをはじめ、日本の文化は世界中で人気があります。
Furigana: アニメをはじめ、にほんのぶんかはせかいじゅうでにんきがあります。
Romaji: Anime wo hajime, Nihon no bunka wa sekaijuu de ninki ga arimasu.
English: Japanese culture, starting with anime, is popular all over the world.
Example #5
家族をはじめ、多くの人に支えられて今の私があります。
Furigana: かぞくをはじめ、おおくのひとにささえられていまのわたしがあります。
Romaji: Kazoku wo hajime, ooku no hito ni sasaerarete ima no watashi ga arimasu.
English: I am who I am today thanks to the support of many people, starting with my family.
Example #6
会議には、部長をはじめ、課長や係長も出席します。
Furigana: かいぎには、ぶちょうをはじめ、かちょうやかかりちょうもしゅっせきします。
Romaji: Kaigi ni wa, buchou wo hajime, kachou ya kakarichou mo shusseki shimasu.
English: The department manager, as well as the section managers and assistant managers, will attend the meeting.
Example #7
東京をはじめ、日本の主要都市では公共交通機関が発達しています。
Furigana: とうきょうをはじめ、にほんのしゅようとしではこうきょうこうつうきかんがはったつしています。
Romaji: Toukyou wo hajime, Nihon no shuyou toshi de wa koukyou koutsuu kikan ga hattatsu shite imasu.
English: Public transportation is well-developed in major Japanese cities, starting with Tokyo.
Example #8
この町には、古いおてらをはじめとして、多くの歴史的な建物が残っています。
Furigana: このまちには、ふるいおてらをはじめとして、おおくれきしてきなたてものがのこっています。
Romaji: Kono machi ni wa, furui otera wo hajime to shite, ooku no rekishiteki na tatemono ga nokotte imasu.
English: Many historical buildings remain in this town, starting with the old temples.
Example #9
上野動物園には、パンダをはじめとする珍しい動物がたくさんいます。
Furigana: うえのどうぶつえんには、パンダをはじめとするめずらしいどうぶつがたくさんいます。
Romaji: Ueno doubutsuen ni wa, panda wo hajime to suru mezurashii doubutsu ga takusan imasu.
English: Ueno Zoo has many rare animals, including (starting with) pandas.
Example #10
彼は、英語をはじめ、５カ国語を話すことができます。
Furigana: かれは、えいごをはじめ、ごかこくごをはなすことができます。
Romaji: Kare wa, eigo wo hajime, gokakokugo wo hanasu koto ga dekimasu.
English: He can speak five languages, starting with English.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Representativeness
The noun before ‘wo hajime’ must be the most representative or prominent member of the category that follows.
Example: 「東京をはじめ、日本の都市は…」 (Starting with Tokyo, Japanese cities…)
Group Inclusion
The sentence usually ends with a plural noun or a word indicating a group (mina, ooku, takusan).
Example: 「家族をはじめ、皆さんに感謝します。」 (I thank everyone, starting with my family.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 日本には、行くをはじめ、山があります。
✅ 日本には、富士山をはじめ、多くの山があります。
‘wo hajime’ requires a representative noun, not a verb like ‘iku’.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Polite and formal.
Social Situations: Often used to show respect by naming the most senior person or most important item first.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese used nationwide.
🔍 Subtle Differences
～をはじめ vs. ～だけでなく
‘～だけでなく’ simply means ‘not only’, whereas ‘～をはじめ’ implies that the first item is the most important/representative example.
When to use: Use ‘～をはじめ’ when you want to highlight a primary example.
～をはじめ vs. ～を皮切りに (wo kawakiri ni)
‘～を皮切りに’ refers to the first event in a series of similar occurrences, focusing on a sequence in time.
When to use: Use ‘～を皮切りに’ for a chain reaction of events.
📝 Conjugation Notes
‘wo hajime’ is the basic form. ‘wo hajime to shite’ is slightly more formal. ‘wo hajime to suru + Noun’ is the attributive form used to modify a following noun.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The particle ‘wo’ is often pronounced as ‘o’. Ensure a slight pause after ‘wo hajime’ for clarity in speech.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of it as ‘Starting with A (the most important one), B and C are also included.’ It comes from the verb ‘hajimeru’ (to begin), so you are ‘beginning’ your list with the best example.
Other Grammar
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.