Grammar Info
N4 Lesson 10: 15/18

と考(かんが)えられている
is considered, is thought of as

Structure
Casual
Polite
Phrase + 考えられている
Phrase + 思われている
Phrase + 考えられています
Phrase + 思われています
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
In its 引用(いんよう) ‘citation’ usage, the 格助詞(かくじょし) (case-marking particle) is often used with verbs in the passive form. Two of these regularly occurring verbs are 考(かんが)えられている ‘to be considered’, and 思(おも)われている ‘to be thought’.
This grammar point is used after a phrase, and translates as ‘it is considered that (A)’, or ‘it is thought that (A)’. It is generally used to highlight a commonly held opinion that most people agree on (not your personal opinion).
  • 「最初(さいしょ)グー」最初(さいしょ)言(い)っ志村(しむら)けんと考(かんが)えられている
    Shimura Ken is considered to be the first person who said ‘saisho wa gu’. (A phrase said before playing rock, paper, scissors, in Japan)
  • このトンネル日本(にほん)一番(いちばん)呪(のろ)われているトンネルと思(おも)われている
    This tunnel is thought to be one of the most cursed tunnels in Japan.
The primary reason that these constructions are used in their displacement (passive) form, is to show that the thought itself is not something that is related to the speaker's own opinions.
However, people will often use this form as a way to strengthen their own opinions, in a similar way to how English speakers would say ‘everyone knows that (A)’.
  • カバ世界(せかい)最(もっと)も危(あぶ)な動物(どうぶつ)と考(かんが)えられている
    Everyone knows that hippos are the most dangerous animal in the world.
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英語(えいご)アメリカだけでなく世界(せかい)中(じゅう)使(つか)われる言語(げんご)(だ)と考(かんが)えられている
English is considered a worldly language, not only used in America.
日本語(にほんご)最(もっと)も難(むずか)しい言語(げんご)の一(ひと)つと思(おも)われている
Japanese is thought of as one of the most difficult languages.
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私(わたし)怖(こわ)いと思(おも)わない、サメ最(もっと)も危(あぶ)ない動物(どうぶつ)と考(かんが)えられている
I don't think (they) are scary, but sharks are considered to be extremely dangerous animals.
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