Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 2: 15/18

を措(お)いて他(ほか)に〜ないNo...but, Nothing else but, None other than

Structure

Noun + をおいてほか + には(1) + … + ない

(1)に

Details

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    Formal

About をおいてほかに〜ない

を措(お)いて is a grammar pattern that expresses something similar to 'none other than (A)', or 'nothing else but (A)'. を措(お)いて is a combination of the adverbial particle を, and the て-form of the う-Verb 措(お)く 'to set aside'. In this way, the literal meaning is similar to English phrases like 'setting aside (A), (B)', where (B) will be a broad statement about something that cannot be fulfilled by anything but (A).

を措(お)いて will follow nouns or noun phrases, and frequently have 他(ほか)にない directly after it, emphasizing the point that 'there is no other'.

を措(お)いて tends to only be used when the speaker positively evaluates (A), and is giving it praise in saying that nothing else can compare to it.

Fun Fact

As this grammar point regularly appears in hiragana, it may be helpful to remember that this uses 措(お)く 'to set aside', rather than 置く 'to place'. It may be easy to confuse these meanings, as they are very similar, and are classified as 同訓異字(どうくんいじ). These are words that have the same kun-yomi reading, and also have a similar meaning. There are hundreds of examples of these in the language, so memorizing words with the same readings will help in identifying the meaning of new kanji at a later stage.

Examples

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    社長(しゃちょう)は副社長(ふくしゃちょう)に言(い)う：「私(わたし)は引退(いんたい)しようと思(おも)う。次期社長(じきしゃちょう)は君(きみ)を措(お)いて他(ほか)にふさわしい人(ひと)は思(おも)い浮(う)かばない。」

    The company president speaks to the vice president: 'I am planning to retire. No one but you comes to my mind as a suitable successor.'

    記事(きじ)：「日本人(にほんじん)監督(かんとく)といえば、現代(げんだい)の映画(えいが)撮影(さつえい)技術(ぎじゅつ)に最(もっと)も大(おお)きな影響(えいきょう)を与(あた)えたのは、もちろん黒沢明(くろさわあきら)を措(お)いて他(ほか)にいない。」

    Article: 'When I mention Japanese directors, the one that has the greatest influence on modern cinematography is of course none other than Akira Kurosawa.'

    探偵(たんてい)は容疑者(ようぎしゃ)に言(い)う：「とぼけないでください。これほど事件(じけん)について知(し)っているのは犯人(はんにん)自身(じしん)を措(お)いて他(ほか)にいないでしょう。」

    Detective speaking to the suspect: 'Don't play dumb. No one but the murderer himself knows this much about the murder.'

    日本語(にほんご)の勉強(べんきょう)を始(はじ)めたばかりの初心者(しょしんしゃ)の方(かた)におすすめするアプリを一つ(ひとつ)あげるとするなら、「文(ぶん)プロ」を措(お)いて他(ほか)にありません。

    If I were to mention an app that I would recommend for beginners that have just started learning Japanese then it would be none other than 'Bunpro.'

    友達(ともだち)との話(はなし)、こまり：「東京(とうきょう)で観光(かんこう)するつもりよ。」
    ほたる：「東京(とうきょう)で観光(かんこう)するなら東京(とうきょう)タワーを措(お)いて他(ほか)にないと思(おも)うの。」

    Chat between friends, Komari: 'I plan to go to sightseeing in Tokyo.'
    Hotaru: 'If you are going sightseeing in Tokyo, then I can think of nothing but Tokyo Tower.'

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