When the 格助詞(かくじょし) (case marking particle) と is used to highlight a 結果(けっか) ‘result’, it regularly translates to ‘as’ in English. This nuance of ‘as’ simply assumes that (A) is a plain or unchanging fact from which something (usually an opinion or evaluation) is based. Combining this nuance of と with して (the conjugation form of
する),
として will present (A) as the base point from which (B) can be determined.
Despite being a combination of several individual parts,
として is often considered to be a 副助詞(かくじょし) (adverbial particle) by itself, meaning that it will most often be seen connected directly to nouns.
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ミキは友達(ともだち)としては最高(さいこう)だ。
As a friend, Miki is awesome.
このゲーム機(き)はDVDプレイヤーとしても使(つ)えます。
You can use this game console as a DVD player.
As
として works in the same way as a 副助詞(かくじょし), it may be connected directly to a second noun to express that (B) is something functioning as (A).
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動物(どうぶつ)を傷(きず)つける奴(やつ)は人間(にんげん)として失格(しっかく)だ。
People who hurt animals are a failure as humans.
これは会社(かいしゃ)としての目標(もくひょう)です。
This is the goal as a company.
This 結果(けっか) ‘result’ use of と regularly appears when one particular aspect of something is being highlighted (while other aspects still exist). This simply means that nothing apart from (A) is being considered when expressing (B).
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タナカさんは友達(ともだち)としてはいい人(ひと)なんだけど、先輩(せんぱい)としてはよくない。
Tanaka-san is a nice person as a friend, but not as a senpai.