Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 2: 14/22

()うのは

~ Known as ~ is, ~ Called ~ is, ~ Means ~, Because

Structure

Phrase + という(1) + (Definition) Phrase(2)

(1) って
(2) (Reason) Phrase

Details

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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About というのは

というのは is a phrase that combines the case marking particle と, the う - Verb ()う, and the nominalizing particle combination のは. Together, they are usually translated as 'the ~ known as ~ is ~', or 'the ~ called ~ is ~'. Sometimes, it can even simply be '~ means ~'. In essence, というのは is just a way to turn an entire phrase into a noun, before explaining that noun further. This explanation of (A) will either be to give a definition of it, or to give a reason for it.
To use というのは, attach it to the end of a phrase that you would like to indicate as being something that will be explained further '(A)', and then follow it with your definition/reason, '(B)'.
  • 筋肉(きんにく)()うのは(きた)ないとすぐになくなる。
    (The thing known as) Muscles need to be trained, or you lose them quickly.
  • 警察(けいさつ)というのは市民(しみん)犯罪(はんざい)から(まも)なければいけません
    (Things known as) Police need to protect the citizens from crime.
Caution
というのは is sometimes used at the beginning of a new sentence, when the speaker wants to add extra information about what has already been said. In these situations, the translation is similar to 'what I mean to say is ~', or 'because of that, ~'.
  • 差別(さべつ)になること()ってはいけません。というのは私達(わたしたち)はみんな(おな)人間(にんげん)だからです
    You shouldn't say anything that could be taken as discriminatory. What I mean to say is, we're all human.
  • あなた()った(こと)否定(ひてい)するつもり()っていませんというのは(わたし)それ間違(まちが)ている(おも)から()ったのです
    I don't mean to disprove what you just said. What I mean is that, I said what I said because I personally thought that it was wrong.
Caution
というのは is regularly abbreviated as とは, or って. This can be a little bit hard to identify in casual speech, but the '(B) explains (A)' concept will still almost always apply, so should be identified that way.
  • おかずとはなんですか。
    What are side dishes?
  • あの(ひと)70(さい)とは(しん)じられない
    I can't believe that person is 70. (70 years old, as I know it)
  • (ゆめ)って簡単(かんたん)(あきら)められないね。
    Dreams are so hard to give up. (Dreams as we know them)
  • 法律(ほうりつ)ってほんとうに必要(ひつよう)なのか。
    Are laws actually necessary? (Laws as we know them)

Examples

  • 自販機(じはんき)というのは自動(じどう)販売(はんばい)()のことだ。

    Jihanki (vending machine) means jidouhanbaiki (vending machine).

  • 外国(がいこく)()というのは日本語(にほんご)以外(いがい)言語(げんご)

    Foreign language means a language other than Japanese.

  • (ゆき)というのは自然(しぜん)現象(げんしょう)です。

    (The thing called) Snow is a natural phenomenon.

  • 人生(じんせい)というのは(はかな)いものだな。

    (The thing known as) Life is such a fleeting thing, isn't it?

  • (たの)というのは結局(けっきょく)(かね)()してほしいということなの?

    So what you really mean by your request is that you want to borrow money?

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というのは – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • nekoyama

    nekoyama

    About 3 years ago

    いう is a verb, so という modifies nouns like in …という言い方は… in the second sentence, where the meaning ends up being an “let’s meet again if we get the chance” kind of 言い方.

    というのは is the same thing but except a normal noun, there’s の as a stand-in. The examples you posted have the exact same structure: descriptionというthingはcomment on that thing. In one case thing is 言い方 and in the other it’s の.

    という modifies a following noun, but that alone isn’t enough to differentiate because the comment after というのは could also start with a noun. There also are some other grammar points that look similar like ということ. But the questions that want というのは tend to say “the thing known as” etc. When it says that even the “thing” part is missing, you know you still need to write something that represents “thing”, which is what the の does.

  • ljoekelsoey

    ljoekelsoey

    About 3 years ago

    Following on from @nekoyama’s explanation, here’s how the use of both will affect a sentence.

    こめというのは日本の主食物。
    (The thing called) Rice is the staple food of Japan
    In this sentence, the subject is The thing called Rice.

    こめという日本の主食物(とても美味しい。)
    Rice, the staple food of Japan, (is very tasty.)
    In this sentence, the subject is Rice, the staple food of Japan.

  • dom1911

    dom1911

    About 1 year ago

    I am interested in differentiating the casual use of this grammar point って from the casual use of は (also being って), how do I tell them apart?

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