Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 5: 18/22

を始(はじ)めNot only...but also..., Starting with

Structure

Noun + をはじめ(として)
Noun + をはじめとする + Noun

Details

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About をはじめ

When presenting a topic in Japanese as a 'starting point', を始(はじ)め will often be used to show any logic (or planned) progressions from that point. This is often translated as 'not only (A), but (B)', or 'starting with (A), (B)'.

To use を始(はじ)め, one noun will be highlighted as the starting point, before another (or several others) will appear in part (B) of the sentence.

Due to sentences featuring をはじめ placing emphasis on (A) as a starting point, additional expressions such as として (or とする) will sometimes be paired with it. These structures function to further emphasize (A), and are similar to 'with (A) as the starting point, (B)'.

Examples

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    スーツを始(はじ)め、シャツや靴(くつ)も新(あたら)しくした。

    Starting with a suit, I also upgraded my shirts and shoes.

    小説(しょうせつ)を始(はじ)め、本(ほん)なら何(なん)でも読(よ)みます。

    Starting with short novels, I read all kinds of books.

    犬(いぬ)を始(はじ)め、様々(さまざま)な動物(どうぶつ)を飼(か)うようになった。

    Starting with dogs, I have come to raise various animals.

    東京(とうきょう)を始(はじ)め、国内(こくない)観光(かんこう)ツアーに行(い)きます。

    I am going on a countrywide tour starting in Tokyo.

    ヨーロッパを始(はじ)め、世界(せかい)中(じゅう)を旅行(りょこう)してみたいです。

    Starting in Europe, I want to travel the world.

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をはじめ – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (4 in total)

  • eefara

    eefara

    I found this example sentence with the “not only but also” meaning:
    先生をはじめ、生徒たちにも教えてあげてください。
    Could be they snuck it in afterwards.

    Related to this, are there any cues showing which meaning をはじめ is giving to the sentence? Devoid of context, is there any way to tell? For example, the example sentence
    パソコンをはじめ、その他の機器も導入するつもりだ。
    feels like it could go either way, “starting with” or “not only but also”.
    Or this sentence:
    社長をはじめ、社員も皆同じ目標を持ってがんばっています。

    <...
  • Daru

    Daru

    Basically its all going to be computer-related machines! Remember that をはじめ establishes the subject and keeps building on that.

  • Madsgeltingbech

    Madsgeltingbech

    I got this sentence incorrect for typing はもちろん instead of をはじめ.

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