Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 10: 7/22

は兎(と)も角(かく)Setting aside, Apart from

Structure

Noun + は + ともかく（として）

Details

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About はともかく

はともかく is an expression which makes use of the adverbial-particle は, and the adverb 兎(と)も角(かく) meaning 'to set aside', or 'at any rate'. This structure will be used when the speaker wants to change the topic from (A) to (B), or mention (B) as being something additional on top of (A).

はともかく is primarily seen following nouns in their dictionary forms. In many cases, this will be when (A) is something that the speaker thinks is not worth considering, or not worth making an issue out of when (B) is more important.

Fun-fact

The adverb 兎(と)も角(かく) is thought to have come from the Buddhist expression 兎角亀毛(とかくきもう), meaning 'horns on rabbits, fur on turtles', referring to things that do not exist. Although this particular meaning is not widely accepted as being strongly related to the modern meaning of 兎(と)も角(かく), some relation can be drawn between it and English phrases such as '(A) is neither here nor there' in reference to something that is non-existent, or of little importance.

  • 美人(びじん)か美人(びじん)じゃないかはともかく、優(やさ)しくて料理(りょうり)が上手(じょうず)な人(ひと)と結婚(けっこん)をしたい。
    I want to marry someone who is kind and a good cook, whether she is beautiful or not is neither here nor there.

Related

Examples

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    冗談(じょうだん)は兎(と)も角(かく)、そろそろビジネスの話(はなし)だ。

    All jokes aside, let's get down to business.

    日本語(にほんご)能力(のうりょく)試験(しけん)に合格(ごうかく)したかは兎(と)も角(かく)、過去(かこ)半年(はんとし)間(かん)にたくさんのことを学(まな)んだ。

    Setting aside whether I passed the JLPT or not, I have learned a lot over the last six months.

      家屋(かおく)は兎(と)も角(かく)としてもだ、せめてアルバムだけでも持(も)って逃(に)げたい。

      Setting aside the house, I at least want to take the album and run.

      カタカナは兎(と)も角(かく)、平仮名(ひらがな)は読(よ)めないと困(こま)ります。

      Apart from katakana, you will be in trouble if you can't read hiragana.

      楽器(がっき)は兎(と)も角(かく)、せめて歌(うた)だけでも歌(うた)いましょうよ。

      Setting aside instruments, let's at least sing a song.

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        はともかく – Grammar Discussion

        Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

        • mrnoone

          mrnoone

          Yo @matt_in_mito !
          It is completely natural!
          I have added it as an alternative answer.
          Cheers

        • qazrt

          qazrt

          I have the impression that 兎も角 (ともかく) is related to 兎に角 (とにかく). Is Japanese grammar making me go insane?

          If that’s the case, it could be interesting to add it to the grammar explanation to help with memorizing this adverb.

          PS so is this also linked to ならともかく?

        • casual

          casual

          The way I understand it, these are all different forms of the same thousand year old expression. とにもかくにも、とにかくに、ともかくも.
          And that 兎も角 is an ateji that somebody thought looks cool, that is, it’s unrelated to the Buddhist 兎角亀毛.

          But this is just something I read online.

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