Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“Starting from…” or “Judging from…” or “Even from…”
🎯 Primary Function
Indicates that something is true or a judgment can be made based on even the most basic, initial, or prominent aspect of something. Often used to express a negative impression or surprise about the whole thing based on a specific part.
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun + からして
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Can be used in formal contexts, especially in analyses or critiques, though its slightly negative nuance might make it less common in highly polite speech.
Informal Situations
Commonly used in informal conversations when expressing disappointment, surprise, or criticism.
Written Language
Frequently appears in articles, reviews, and essays where a judgment or critique is being made.
Spoken Language
Used naturally in daily conversation to express opinions or reactions.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing a negative first impression
Used when even the initial or most obvious aspect of something is bad, suggesting the rest is likely also bad.
Example: 彼の態度は、あいさつからして失礼だった。 (Kare no taido wa, aisatsu kara shite shitsurei datta.) – His attitude, starting with his greeting, was rude.
Making a judgment based on a specific example
Used to draw a conclusion about something based on one particular example or element.
Example: この店の値段は、コーヒーからして高い。 (Kono mise no nedan wa, ko-hi- kara shite takai.) – The prices at this shop are expensive, judging just from the coffee.
Highlighting an unexpected or surprising fact
Used to emphasize that even a basic or expected element is different or problematic, leading to a conclusion about the whole situation.
Example: 今日の会議は、開始時間からして遅れていた。(Kyou no kaigi wa, kaishi jikan kara shite okurete ita.) – Today’s meeting, even starting from the scheduled start time, was delayed.
Frequency
Moderately frequent in advanced Japanese, especially in contexts involving evaluation or critique.
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced (N2). Requires understanding the nuance of selecting a representative or initial element.
Example Sentences
その映画は、タイトルからして面白くなさそうだね。
That movie, just based on the title, doesn’t seem interesting.
彼女の部屋は、入り口からして散らかっていた。
Her room, starting from the entrance, was messy.
彼の企画書は、誤字脱字からしてひどかった。
His proposal, even starting with the typos and omissions, was terrible.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Focus on a representative element
〜からして picks out a single, often initial or fundamental, element of something to represent the whole. The judgment made about this element applies to the entire subject.
Example: 食事からして美味しくなかった。 (Shokuji kara shite oishiku nakatta.) – The meal, starting with the food itself (implying other things like service or atmosphere might also be bad), was not delicious.
Implies a negative or critical judgment
While not exclusively negative, 〜からして is very often used to express a negative impression, disappointment, or criticism based on the mentioned element.
Example: 彼の服装からして、真剣さが感じられなかった。 (Kare no fukusou kara shite, shinkensa ga kanjirarenakatta.) – Judging from his clothes, I couldn’t feel any seriousness.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using it merely to list the first item
✅ Ensure there is a judgment or conclusion being drawn about the whole based on the item mentioned with からして.
〜からして implies a connection between the specific item and a broader evaluation, not just a simple list “starting with X”.
❌ undefined
✅ undefined
undefined
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Generally neutral, but the implied judgment can make it sound critical depending on context and tone.
Social Situations: Used when evaluating or commenting on people, things, or situations. Can be used in both personal opinions and more objective critiques.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese, no significant regional variations.
🔍 Subtle Differences
〜からして vs 〜から見ると / 〜から言うと
からして focuses on an initial or representative *part* of something to make a judgment about the *whole*. から見ると / から言うと mean “from the perspective of…” or “judging from…”, focusing on the viewpoint or information source.
When to use: Use からして when a specific element exemplifies a characteristic of the entire thing. Use から見ると / から言うと when citing a perspective or source of information.
〜からして vs 〜を始めとして
からして implies that even the item mentioned is *already* representative of the overall quality/state (often negative). 〜を始めとして means “starting with X, including Y and Z”, indicating X is the first item in a list or group, which then includes others.
When to use: Use からして for a judgment based on a key example. Use 〜を始めとして to list examples with the first one mentioned.
undefined
undefined
When to use: undefined
📝 Conjugation Notes
Attaches directly after a noun. No other conjugation forms.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced standardly, with emphasis naturally falling on the preceding noun.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of it as “even *from* this point (the starting point or a key example), you can tell…”
Vocabulary List
態度
taido
attitude
失礼
shitsurei
rude, discourteous
値段
nedan
price
会議
kaigi
meeting
開始時間
kaishi jikan
start time
誤字脱字
goji datsuji
typos and omissions
考え方
way of thinking
Kanji List
態度
たいど
attitude
失礼
しつれい
rude
値段
ねだん
price
会議
かいぎ
meeting
開始
かいし
start, commencement
時間
じかん
time
誤字
ごじ
typo
脱字
だつじ
omission of characters
考え方
かんがえかた
way of thinking
対応
たいおう
handling, response
服装
ふくそう
clothing
Practice Exercises
Choose the most appropriate sentence using 〜からして:
この本は、表紙からして面白そうだ。
昨日、雨が降っていたからして、試合は中止になった。
私は、納豆からして日本の食べ物が好きだ。
彼は、見た目からして優しそうだ。
Fill in the blank: そのレストランは、サービス_____遅かった。
に対して
において
からして
について
4 Views
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.