Posted inN3 Grammar

Mastering に置いて / における: Navigate Formal Japanese Like a Pro (JLPT N3+)

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Indicates the location, time, or situation where an action or event takes place. It is a more formal equivalent of particles like 「で」 or 「に」.

🎯 Primary Function

To formally specify the setting (place, time, or abstract situation) of an event or state.

📋 Grammar Structure

Noun + において (particle/adverbial form) / Noun + における + Noun (adjectival form)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Widely used in formal speeches, presentations, official announcements, and business contexts.

😊 Informal Situations

Almost never used in casual conversation.

✍️ Written Language

Very common in formal writing such as newspapers, academic papers, reports, and official documents.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in formal spoken contexts like news broadcasts or speeches, but avoided in everyday conversation.

💡 Common Applications

Specifying locations of events
Used for places like conference halls, cities, or countries where something occurs.
Example: 会議は東京において行われます。 (Kaigi wa Tōkyō ni oite okonawaremasu.) – The meeting will be held in Tokyo.
Indicating time periods or moments
Used for historical periods, specific dates, or crucial moments.
Example: 江戸時代における文化について学びました。 (Edo-jidai ni okeru bunka ni tsuite manabimashita.) – I learned about the culture during the Edo period.
Referring to abstract situations or fields
Used for abstract concepts like “in business,” “in education,” “in this situation.”
Example: 教育において、新しい方法が試されています。(Kyōiku ni oite, atarashii hōhō ga tamesarete imasu.) – In education, new methods are being tried.
📊
Frequency
High frequency in formal written and spoken Japanese, low in casual conversation.
🎚️
Difficulty
N3/N2 – Requires understanding of formal contexts and the subtle difference between において and における.
Example Sentences
この製品の開発において、多くの困難がありました。
In the development of this product, there were many difficulties.
国際会議は大阪において開催されます。
The international conference will be held in Osaka.
現代社会における問題について議論しました。
We discussed issues in modern society.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

における always precedes a noun.
における acts like an adjective, modifying the noun that follows it.
Example: 日本における経済成長 (Nihon ni okeru keizai seichō) – Economic growth in Japan
において is followed by a verb or phrase.
において acts like a particle or adverbial phrase, indicating where/when/in what situation the action happens.
Example: 日本において経済成長が見られる (Nihon ni oite keizai seichō ga mirareru) – Economic growth can be seen in Japan

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using における without a following noun.
✅ Use において instead, or ensure a noun directly follows における.
における functions as an adjectival phrase and requires a noun to modify.
❌ Using において in casual speech.
✅ Replace with 「で」 or 「に」 in informal contexts.
において is too formal for everyday conversation.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: High – Associated with respectful and official language.
Social Situations: Used in formal settings like business, academia, news, and official announcements.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan, not specific to a region.

🔍 Subtle Differences

において vs. で
において is much more formal than で.
When to use: Use において in formal writing/speech; use で in everyday conversation and less formal writing.
において vs. に
において emphasizes the context (place, time, situation) more formally than に, especially for abstract or broad concepts.
When to use: Use において for formal contexts, abstract places/situations (e.g., 歴史において – in history); use に for specific locations or times (e.g., 部屋にいる – in the room, ３時に – at 3 o’clock).
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Both において and における are fixed forms derived from the verb おく (to place) but function here as set particles/phrases. They do not conjugate.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced straightforwardly: に (ni), お (o), い (i), て (te) and にお (ni o), け (ke), る (ru). Pay attention to the distinction between て and ける.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of において like a formal, specific “at/in” for events or situations, and における as “related to that location/time/situation” when modifying a noun.

Practice Exercises
次の文の（　）に入る最も適切なものを選びなさい。 会議は３時（　）開始されます。
で
に
において
における
次の文の（　）に入る最も適切なものを選びなさい。 日本（　）教育制度について研究しています。
で
に
において
における
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