Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 2: 11/17

にして ①

At, Over, In, Only (after, when, or because)

Structure

Number + Counter + にして
Noun + にして

Details

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    Standard

About にして①

When the case-marking particle に is combined with the て-form of する, it often carries the meaning of 'at (A)', 'over (A)', or 'only when (A)'. This nuance is used when (A) is something that is a fairly high level, or some point that would be considered a prime example for any given topic.

にして may appear following counters, or standard nouns.

While にして marks (A) as some particular exemplar, what follows may either be something that is or is not considered befitting of that example. In this way, (B) generally describes something that either does or does not fulfill the expectations of (A), and perhaps why.

It is common to see にして followed by grammar patterns such as ようやく 'finally', or (はじ)めて 'only when'. These function to emphasize にして even further as being a point from which something is achieved or attained.

Fun Fact

Just like other structures that make use of the various conjugations of にする, にして indicates something that has been decided upon, or is being accepted as a fact from which a new condition will arise, or has arisen.

Examples

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    (いま)にして(おも)えばあの(ころ)5ドルでビットコインを()るのは間違(まちが)った決定(けってい)だったかも。

    When I think about it now, selling bitcoin for 5 dollars at that time might have been a bad decision. (only (after/when/because))

    釈迦(しゃか)29歳(さい)にして(はじ)めて、宮殿(きゅうでん)()た。

    Buddha left the palace for the first time at the age of 29. (only (after/when/because))

    (かれ)はバブルがはじけたことにより一夜(いちや)にして破産者(はさんしゃ)となった。

    Due to the bubble burst, he went bankrupt overnight. (only (after/when/because))

    小説(しょうせつ)(かた)():「ミステリアスなその見知(みし)らぬ(ひと)は、一瞬(いっしゅん)にして二人(ふたり)暗殺者(あんさつしゃ)同時(どうじ)(ころ)してしまった。」

    A novel, narrator: 'The mysterious stranger, in a moment, killed two assassins at once.' (only (after/when/because))

    ふうかはあきつき()夫妻(ふさい)結婚(けっこん)20年(ねん)()にして(はじ)めて(さず)かった長女(ちょうじょ)だった。

    Fuuka was the first daughter that the Akitsuki couple was blessed with in the 20th year of their marriage. (only (after/when/because))

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