Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 2: 22/22

点(てん)

Aspect, Respect, Point, Way, In terms of, In that, From the point of view

Structure

Verb + 点(てん)(で)
［い］Adjective + 点(てん)(で)
［な］Adjective + な + 点(てん)(で)
Noun + の + 点(てん)(で)
Phrase + という + 点(てん)(で)

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About 点

点(てん) is a kanji that is regularly used to express a specific 'point', 'spot', 'aspect', or something similar. When attached to the end of the attributive form of another word, it will highlight that word as a point of interest within the sentence. This is regularly translated as 'from the aspect of (A)', 'in respect to (A)', 'in terms of (A)', and other similar phrases that simply draw attention to something.
To use 点(てん), attach it to the attributive form of another word, a noun followed by の, or a phrase followed by という. In all cases, 点(てん) must be followed by the case marking particle で.
  • 分(わ)からない点(てん)でお困(こま)りでしたら、こちらまでお電話(でんわ)をください。
    Please call here if you have any trouble with parts that are hard to understand.
  • 漢字(かんじ)の一番(いちばん)難(むずか)しい点(てん)は、読(よ)み方(かた)が沢山(たくさん)あることです。
    The most difficult aspect of kanji is that there are many ways to read them.
  • アプリは使(つか)いやすさと便利(べんり)さが一番(いちばん)重要(じゅうよう)な点(てん)で、見(み)た目(め)などはあまり綺麗(きれい)じゃなくてもいい。
    Ease of use and convenience are the most important aspects of an app, so it is okay if it doesn't look too pretty.
  • イギリスの食文化(しょくぶんか)はいくつかの点(てん)でスペインの食文化(しょくぶんか)と違(ちが)う。
    Food culture of England and Spain is different in several aspects.
  • 10万人(まんにん)のユーザーが居(い)るという点(てん)では凄(すご)いと思(おも)う。
    In terms of having 100,000 users, I think it is amazing.
Sometimes, で (as 'with' or 'at') may be replaced with expressions such as について 'in relation to (A)', or からいうと 'speaking from (A)'. So long as the grammar structure that accompanies 点(てん) is also used to highlight something specific (and can be paired with a noun), it will sound natural.
  • 分(わ)からない点(てん)について質問(しつもん)はありますか？
    Do you have any questions in regards to something you don't understand?
  • 以上(いじょう)の点(てん)から言(い)うと、来月(らいげつ)までにオープンすることは不可能(ふかのう)という事(こと)ですね。
    Based on the points mentioned above, this means that it is impossible to start business by next month, right?
  • 日本語(にほんご)にひらがなとカタカナと漢字(かんじ)があるという点から考えると、中国語(ちゅうごくご)は大分(だいぶ)違(ちが)う。
    Japanese is very different from Chinese in that Japanese has hiragana, katakana, and kanji.

Examples

  • 何(なん)らかのアクションが必要(ひつよう)であるという点(てん)で総(そう)株主(かぶぬし)は認(みと)めた。

    All shareholders agreed on the point that some action is needed.

    This can be rephrased to 点 or 点について. 総 is a prefix meaning 'all'.

  • いくつかの点(てん)で韓国語(かんこくご)やトルコ語(ご)は日本語(にほんご)に似(に)ている。

    In some respects, Korean and Turkish are similar to Japanese.

    Cannot be rephrased to という点 (as 点 follows いくつか). Can be rephrased to 点からいうと.

  • 彼(かれ)はちょっと忘(わす)れっぽいという点(てん)で彼(かれ)の父(ちち)と同(おな)じだね。

    In terms of being a bit forgetful he is just like his father, right?

    Can be rephrased to 点 or 点からいうと.

  • 英語(えいご)はあらゆる点(てん)で日本語(にほんご)と違(ちが)っている。

    English differs from Japanese in all respects.

    Cannot be rephrased to という点 because 点 follows あらゆる.

  • 日本語(にほんご)は、文章(ぶんしょう)の最後(さいご)のポジションに動詞(どうし)があるという点(てん)で、ユニークである。

    Japanese is unique in that the verb is in the last position of a sentence.

    Can be rephrased to 点 or 点からいうと.

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点 – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • Daru

    Daru

    Because it can be replaced!
    Straight from the write up:

    Sometimes, で (as ‘with’ or ‘at’) may be replaced with expressions such as について ‘in relation to (A)’, or からいうと ‘speaking from (A)’. So long as the grammar structure that accompanies 点（） is also used to highlight something specific (and can be paired with a noun), it will sound natural.

    In this case, it is used to bring emphasis to the fact that out of all the things this person could possibly agree with, only with the stated fact can they concede the other party is right.

    ...

  • Christophegand

    Christophegand

    Yeah. Thank you.
    I do feel stupid now because the answer was in the explanation

    Maybe I was mislead by the phrase:
    “In all cases, 点 must be followed by the 格助詞 で.”

    Which is not totally true, because later on the explanation states that で can be replaced

  • Schuylerca

    Schuylerca

    don’t think you were stupid I think that bp should revise this a little -

    Having some issues understanding this as well and thought “ALWAYS” ok but then wait exceptions. And what’s worse is there is an example

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