Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 6: 14/17

はさておき(Leaving or putting) aside, Apart

Structure

Noun + はさておき(1)
Phrase + かどうか(2) + はさておき(1)

(1) はさておいて
(2) か

Details

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About はさておき・はさておいて

はさておき is an expression which is often translated as 'leaving aside (A)', or 'apart from (A)'. It is a combination of the adverbial particle は, the conjunction さて 'now' (moving on to a new thing), and the conjunctive form of 置(お)く 'to place', or 'to leave', 置(お)き. The more literal 'now putting aside (A)' may also be used.

This structure will be used when (A) is a topic that the speaker would like to move away from, in order to discuss something more important.

はさておき will primarily directly follow nouns.

However, it is also common to see はさておき following a phrase that ends with かどうか. This can be translated as 'disregarding whether it is (A) or not, (B)', and will imply that (B) is a more appropriate topic, so (A) should be moved on from.

Caution

さて may occasionally appear in either of the kanji forms 扨(さて), or 扠(さて). However, this is quite rare. 置(お)く itself may also be replaced with 措(お)く 'to set aside'.

Fun Fact

冗談(じょうだん)はさておき is a set expression that has the meaning of 'jokes aside', or 'moving on to the serious business'.

  • 冗談(じょうだん)はさておき、そろそろ会議(かいぎ)を始(はじ)めよう。
    Jokes aside, let's start the meeting soon.

Examples

--:--

    それはさておき、会議(かいぎ)の本題(ほんだい)に移(うつ)りましょう。

    Putting that aside, let’s move to the main topic of the conference.

    冗談(じょうだん)はさておき、そろそろ真面目(まじめ)にミーティングをしないと。

    Jokes aside, we better get this meeting underway seriously.

      この映画(えいが)は内容(ないよう)はさておき、映像(えいぞう)のクオリティは最高(さいこう)でした。

      Putting aside the content of this movie, the quality of the picture is superb.

        品質(ひんしつ)はさておき、この商品(しょうひん)のデザインはどこよりも優(すぐ)れています。

        Putting aside the quality, the design of this product is better than anywhere else.

          目(め)が悪(わる)いことはさておき、それ以外(いがい)は僕(ぼく)の体(からだ)は完璧(かんぺき)だと言(い)ってもいい。

          Apart from that my eyes are bad; you could say that the rest of my body is perfect.

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              はさておき・はさておいて – Grammar Discussion

              Most Recent Replies (5 in total)

              • Bruinvis

                Bruinvis

                I wonder why を is not used before はさておき?

                For example in this sentence:

                《飲み会、仕事のことだけ話す同僚に》「仕事の話はさておき、改めて乾杯！」

              • nekoyama

                nekoyama

                The は is the particle は so を can’t go there.

              • Bruinvis

                Bruinvis

                Ah, I see. I saw the verb as はさて for some reason, but with the は as a particle, things make a lot of sense, thanks!.

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