Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 6: 4/24

即(すなわ)ち
in other words, that is, namely

Structure
すなわち + Phrase
Details
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使用域 一般
乃ち
Information
In a similar way to つまり, 即(すなわ)ち is another grammar pattern in Japanese that is often translated as ‘in other words’. It may also be translated as ‘namely’, or ‘that is to say’. While 即(すなわ)ち is a 副詞(ふくし) (adverb), it is often used as a 接続詞(せつぞくし) (conjunction), linking two sentences via some sort of reasoning.
  • この人(ひと)は私(わたし)妻(つま)お母(かあ)さんですすなわち、義理(ぎり)母(はは)です
    This person is my wife's mother. In other words, my mother in law.
  • 私(わたし)はゲームしてお金(かね)稼(かせ)いでいますすなわち、プロゲーマーです
    I get paid for playing video games. In other words, I am a professional gamer.
Caution
The kanji used in 即(すなわ)ち simply means ‘in concordance’. This shows that the nuance associated with 即(すなわ)ち is that of ‘agreeance’ or ‘correspondence’ to something else, while つまり is purely that of ‘summarisation’.
  • この車(くるま)はもう動(うご)かないです。すなわち廃車(はいしゃ)です
    This car does not run anymore. In other words, it is a decommissioned car.
  • 彼(かれ)は僕(ぼく)父(ちち)弟(おとうと)ですつまり叔父(おじ)です
    He is my father's brother. In other words, he is my uncle.
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彼(かれ)私(わたし)母(はは)弟(おとうと)の息子(むすこ)、すなわち従兄弟(いとこ)です。
He is my mother's brother's son. In other words, he is my cousin.
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5割引(わりび)きの商品(しょうひん)とは、すなわち元(もと)の値段(ねだん)の半額(はんがく)ということだ。
A product that is 50% off is, in other words, half off.
1割 = 10%.
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私(わたし)は将来(しょうらい)、子供(こども)たちに物事(ものごと)を教(おし)える職業(しょくぎょう)に就(つ)きたいです。すなわち学校(がっこう)先生(せんせい)になりたいのです。
In the future, I'd like to take up the profession of teaching various things to kids.
Namely, I'd like to become a school teacher.
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