Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 6: 3/24

つまり
in short, to sum up, in other words

Structure
Phrase (A)。つまり + (Summary) Phrase (B)
Details
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詰まり
Information
つまり (or 詰(つ)まり) is a word in Japanese that is often used as a 副詞(ふくし) (adverb). It takes a previous statement (said either by the speaker or by someone else) and summarizes it. This translates as ‘in short’, ‘in other words’, and similar expressions in English.
  • ハマサキさんまた何(なに)も言(い)わず休(やす)んだのですか?つまりまた無断(むだん)欠勤(けっきん)という事(こと)ですね。
    Hamasaki-san didn't come to work without saying anything again? In other words, he ditched work again, didn't he?
  • 彼氏(かれし)本当(ほんとう)別(わか)れたの?つまり、もうあんな奴(やつ)関(かか)わらなくていいということ
    Did you really break up with your boyfriend? In other words, that means we don't have to deal with him anymore?
  • また誰(だれ)か辞(やめ)めたんですか?つまり、今(いま)すぐ新(あたら)しい人(ひと)見(み)付(つ)けないといけないという事(こと)ですね。
    Someone quit again ? In other words, we need to find a new person as soon as possible, right?
Fun Fact
つまり comes from verb 詰(つ)まる meaning to become ‘packed’, or ‘condensed’. This means that the literal translation is of つまり is quite similar to its English interpretation.
  • あなたは昨日(きのう)一日(いちにち)中(じゅう)家(いえ)ゲームして、家(いえ)事(こと)は何(なに)もしなかったってことですね。つまり一日(いちにち)中(じゅう)ダラダラしていたという事(こと)ですね。
    You are saying that you were at home playing video games without doing any chores yesterday. Condensed, you were being lazy. (In short)
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明日(あした)何時(なんじ)でも良(い)いんだって。つまり、夜遅(よるおそ)くなっても良(い)いらしい。
They said anytime tomorrow is good. To sum up, it seems that even late at night is ok.
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彼(かれ)いつも約束(やくそく)を破(やぶ)る。つまり私(わたし)のこと好(す)きじゃないよね。
He's always breaking his promises to me. In other words it seems that he isn't fond of me, right?
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この車(くるま)電気(でんき)自動車(じどうしゃ)です。つまり、ガソリンがいらない。
This is an electric car. In other words it doesn't need gasoline.
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Books
Tobira
Page 216
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 38