Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
This expression means “leaving something aside,” “regardless of,” “setting something aside for a moment,” or “whether… or not… (is not important).” It implies that the item preceding はともかく is acknowledged but deemed less important or irrelevant to the main point being made.
🎯 Primary Function
Its primary function is to dismiss a particular item or factor, allowing the speaker to shift focus to a more important or relevant aspect. It suggests that while the dismissed item might be true or worth considering, it is not the main concern at hand.
📋 Grammar Structure
はともかく attaches to the plain form of verbs, i-adjectives, na-adjectives (with な or である), and nouns. The particle の or こと is often used before はともかく when attaching to a verb or adjective phrase. * **Noun + はともかく (として)**
* **Verb (Plain form) + の/こと + はともかく (として)**
* **I-adjective (Plain form) + の/こと + はともかく (として)**
* **Na-adjective (Plain form) + な/である + の/こと + はともかく (として)** The optional としても (to shite mo) can be added for a slightly stronger nuance of “even if X is true, Y is still the case.” However, it’s more common to see just はともかく.
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Can be used in moderately formal contexts, especially when discussing pros and cons or prioritizing issues. It allows for a polite way to sideline a point.
Informal Situations
Commonly used in informal conversations to brush aside minor details or acknowledge something quickly before moving to the main topic.
Written Language
Frequently appears in written articles, essays, and reports when making arguments or comparisons, to highlight what truly matters.
Spoken Language
Very common in spoken Japanese for everyday conversations, debates, and explanations where the speaker wants to direct the listener’s attention.
💡 Common Applications
Dismissing a minor issue to focus on a major one.
Used when there are multiple factors, and you want to state that one particular factor is not the main concern or can be ignored for the sake of the discussion.
Example: 味はともかく、値段が安いのはいいですね。(Aji wa tomokaku, nedan ga yasui no wa ii desu ne.) – Leaving the taste aside, it’s good that the price is cheap, isn’t it?
Acknowledging something might be true but moving past it.
It can be used to concede a point but still emphasize something else as more critical.
Example: 彼が来る来ないはともかく、準備だけはしておこう。(Kare ga kuru konai wa tomokaku, junbi dake wa shite okō.) – Whether he comes or not, let’s at least prepare.
Comparing and emphasizing one aspect over another.
Often used to draw a contrast, highlighting the importance of one element over another, without necessarily devaluing the first.
Example: デザインはともかく、機能性をもっと重視すべきだ。(Dezain wa tomokaku, kinōsei o motto jūshi suru beki da.) – Putting the design aside, we should prioritize functionality more.
Frequency
Moderately frequent in everyday conversation, business discussions, and written materials.
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced (JLPT N2). While the basic concept is simple, understanding its subtle implications and appropriate contexts requires an N2 level of comprehension.
Example Sentences
味はともかく、値段が安いのはいいですね。
Leaving the taste aside, it’s good that the price is cheap, isn’t it?
デザインはともかく、機能性をもっと重視すべきだ。
Putting the design aside, we should prioritize functionality more.
彼が来る来ないはともかく、準備だけはしておこう。
Whether he comes or not, let’s at least prepare.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Focus Shift
The primary function of はともかく is to shift the focus from the preceding item to what comes after it. It implies that the item before はともかく is not the most important point of discussion.
Example: 見た目はともかく、品質が重要です。(Mitame wa tomokaku, hinshitsu ga jūyō desu.) – Setting aside the appearance, quality is important.
Implied Validity
While はともかく dismisses something for the current discussion, it doesn’t necessarily mean the dismissed item is bad, false, or irrelevant in all contexts. It just means it’s not the main concern at that moment.
Example: 金額はともかく、このプロジェクトはやる価値がある。(Kingaku wa tomokaku, kono purojekuto wa yaru kachi ga aru.) – The cost aside, this project is worth doing.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using it for simple contrast.
✅ はともかく is not just for contrasting; it specifically means to *set aside* or *disregard* something to focus on something else. For simple contrasts, ですが, しかし, or けど might be more appropriate.
If you simply want to state two contrasting ideas without dismissing one, はともかく might sound unnatural. It carries the nuance of deeming the first part less critical.
❌ Incorrectly attaching to verbs/adjectives.
✅ Remember to use の or こと after verb/adjective plain forms when attaching はともかく.
Directly attaching はともかく to a plain verb or adjective without の/こと is incorrect. It needs to nominalize the phrase first.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: はともかく is generally neutral in politeness. It can be used in both formal and informal settings, adapting to the overall politeness of the sentence structure and vocabulary used.
Social Situations: It is often used in discussions where prioritizing certain aspects over others is necessary, such as business meetings, academic debates, or even casual conversations about preferences.
Regional Variations: There are no significant regional variations in the usage or meaning of はともかく.
🔍 Subtle Differences
はともかく vs. はさておき
Both mean “leaving aside.” はともかく often implies that the item set aside *could* be considered but is not the priority *right now*. はさておき tends to imply a more deliberate act of “putting something aside” for later consideration or completely. はさておき can feel slightly more formal or decisive.
When to use: Use はともかく when you want to shift focus by stating something is less important *for the current discussion*. Use はさておき when you are explicitly postponing or tabling a topic.
はともかく vs. は別として
は別として means “apart from” or “except for,” implying a complete separation or exception. はともかく still acknowledges the item but moves it to the background, while は別として distinctly separates it from the main discussion.
When to use: Use はともかく when the item is still somewhat relevant but not the main point. Use は別として when the item is a distinct exception or completely outside the scope of the current discussion.
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📝 Conjugation Notes
The conjugation rules are straightforward: attach directly to nouns. For verbs, i-adjectives, and na-adjectives, they must first be in their plain form, followed by の or こと to nominalize the phrase before adding はともかく.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounce 「はともかく」 as “wa tomokaku.” The “は” particle is pronounced “wa,” not “ha.” The pitch accent for ともかく (tomokaku) is typically flat or low-high-low depending on the dialect, but a generally flat pronunciation is safe and understandable.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of 「ともかく」 as “anyhow” or “anyway.” So, 「Xはともかく」 becomes “X (is) anyway (set aside), so…” It helps to remember that you are setting aside X for whatever comes next.
Vocabulary List
味
aji
taste
値段
nedan
price
機能性
kinōsei
functionality
重視する
jūshi suru
to emphasize; to attach importance to
準備
junbi
preparation
性格
seikaku
personality; character
腕
skill; ability (literally “arm”)
Kanji List
味
あじ
taste
値
ね
price
段
だん
steps; rank
機
き
machine; opportunity
能
のう
ability; talent
性
せい
nature; gender
重
じゅう
heavy; important
視
し
to look; to see
準
じゅん
standard; semi-
備
び
provide; furnish
格
かく
status; character
Practice Exercises
あのレストランは（ ）、サービスはとても良い。
料理はともかく
料理をともかく
料理がともかく
料理へともかく
この計画は、（ ）、実行する価値がある。
成功するしないはともかく
成功したともかく
成功するからともかく
成功しないともかく
5 Views
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