JLPT N1Written, formalAppreciative

もさることながらA, certainly, and B no less

A もさることながら、B も: you grant that A deserves its credit, then turn the weight onto B. It is a reviewer's and essayist's phrase, used for praise more often than not.

この小しょう説せつは物もの語がたりの構こう成せいもさることながら、会かい話わの自し然ぜんさも魅み力りょくだ。

The way the story is built is one thing, and the natural dialogue is just as much of a draw.

How to form it

Noun + もさることながら、 noun + も

A quality goes in as a noun: 深ふかさ, 美うつくしさ. B usually takes も.

Before it: What everyone would mention first: 味あじ (the taste), デザイン, 実じつ力りょく (ability), 費ひ用よう (the cost).
After it: What you want noticed, of the same kind: a second merit, or a second worry.
Where you'll meet it: Reviews, essays, commentary, speeches. To a friend it's 味あじもいいけど、見みた目めもきれい.

In use

この映えい画がは、映えい像ぞう美びもさることながら、登とう場じょう人じん物ぶつの繊せん細さいな心しん理り描びょう写しゃも見み事ごとだ。

The film is beautiful to look at, certainly, and its delicate portrayal of the characters' inner lives is just as fine.

この製せい品ひんは、デザインもさることながら、片かた手てで扱あつかえる操そう作さ性せいも高たかく評ひょう価かされている。

This product is praised for its design, and no less for how easily it can be handled with one hand.

新しんシステムについては、導どう入にゅう費ひ用ようもさることながら、運うん用よう開かい始し後ごの保ほ守しゅ体たい制せいも懸け念ねんされている。

With the new system, the cost of bringing it in is one worry, and how it will be maintained once it is running is another.

Two worries this time.

Both halves point the same way

English "A is one thing, but B" can set good against bad. This can't. A is granted, not brushed aside, and B is more of the same kind.

Not said: この店みせは味あじのよさもさることながら、サービスが悪わるい。

(The food here is good, but the service is bad.)

Good against bad is 味あじはいいが、サービスが悪わるい.

Close neighbours

はもちろんN3

"A, of course, and B too": A goes without saying and gets no more attention. もさることながら gives A its due first.

子こどもはもちろん、大人おとなもこの絵え本ほんを楽たのしめる。

Children can enjoy this picture book, of course, and so can adults.

はもとよりN2

The same as はもちろん, for formal writing and speeches.

本ほん規き則そくは正せい社しゃ員いんはもとより、契けい約やく社しゃ員いんにも適てき用ようされる。

These rules apply to permanent employees, of course, and to contract employees as well.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this tell you?

この美び術じゅつ館かんは、展てん示じもさることながら、建たて物ものそのものも一いっ見けんの価か値ちがある。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

さること is an old way to say "something only natural", and ながら is "while": "while A, too, is only natural to mention".

More sentences

この店みせは料りょう理りの味あじもさることながら、客きゃくへの細こまやかな気き配くばりも評ひょう価かされている。

The restaurant is praised for its food, and no less for its thoughtful attention to customers.

彼かの女じょの講こう演えんは、内ない容ようの深ふかさもさることながら、難むずかしい概がい念ねんを身み近ぢかな例れいで伝つたえる語かたり口くちも印いん象しょう的てきだった。

Her lecture had real depth, and what was just as striking was the way she put difficult ideas across with familiar examples.

採さい用ようでは、専せん門もん知ち識しきもさることながら、異ことなる意い見けんに耳みみを傾かたむける姿し勢せいも重じゅう視しされる。

In hiring, specialist knowledge matters, and a willingness to listen to different opinions is given just as much weight.

今こん回かいの不ふ祥しょう事じでは、管かん理り体たい制せいの甘あまさもさることながら、問もん題だい発はっ覚かく後ごの説せつ明めいの遅おくれも厳きびしく批ひ判はんされている。

In this scandal the lax oversight has come in for criticism, and so, just as sharply, has the delay in explaining once the problem came to light.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "not only"