JLPT N3EverydayExplaining

で言いうとin X terms; the equivalent in

You explain something by moving it onto a scale the other person knows: a cat's age in human years, a rank in company terms, a word in English.

猫ねこの八はっ歳さいは、人にん間げんの年ねん齢れいで言いうと四よん十じゅう八はっ歳さいくらいです。

Eight for a cat is about forty-eight in human years.

アメリカのMは、日本にほんのサイズで言いうとLくらいです。

An American medium is about a large in Japanese sizes.

How to form it

Thing は + known scale + で言うと + its equivalent

English puts the scale last ("about forty-eight in human years"); Japanese puts it straight before で言いうと. Often written でいうと. で言いえば and the casual で言いったら mean the same.

Before it: The scale or world the other person already knows: 人にん間げん, 会かい社しゃ, 日本にほん, 英えい語ご, 今いま.
After it: The equivalent there, usually loosened with くらい, に近ちかい or に当あたる, because the match is rarely exact.
Where you'll meet it: Everyday explanations, shops, guidebooks, TV. Neutral: fine with friends and in writing.

In use

日本にほんの高こう校こう一いち年ねん生せいは、アメリカの学がっ校こう制せい度どで言いうと十じゅう年ねん生せいに当あたる。

A first-year high school student in Japan corresponds to a tenth grader in the American school system.

彼かれはこの組そ織しきでは、会かい社しゃで言いうと部ぶ長ちょうに当あたる立たち場ばです。

Within this organization, his position is equivalent to a department manager in a company.

江え戸ど時じ代だいの寺てら子こ屋やは、現げん代だいで言いうと地ち域いきの学がく習しゅう教きょう室しつに近ちかい。

Edo-period temple schools were somewhat like local learning centers in modern terms.

Asking with it

It is a handy way to ask for a word, or for the nearest thing in another country or system.

それは日本にほん語ごで言いうと何なんですか。

What is that in Japanese?

それは日本にほんで言いうと、何なにに当あたりますか。

What would that be in Japan?

Close neighbours

というとN3

One kana away and unrelated: "speaking of". It picks up a word and says what comes to mind.

京きょう都とというと、古ふるい寺てらだけでなく、小ちいさな路ろ地じの喫きっ茶さ店てんも思おもい浮うかぶ。

When I think of Kyoto, it isn't only old temples that come to mind but also the little cafés in the back alleys.

から言うとN2

"Judging from". It names what an opinion rests on, not a scale you are converting into.

健けん康こう状じょう態たいから言いうと、この犬いぬはまだ若々わかわかしい。

Judging from its physical condition, this dog is still youthful.

に当たるN3

The verb for "corresponds to". It often finishes a で言いうと sentence, and it works without one too.

父ちちの姉あねは、私わたしの伯母おばに当あたる。

My father's older sister is my aunt.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

この犬いぬは十じゅっ歳さいだ。（　　）で言いうと、五ご十じゅう六ろく歳さいくらいだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

「ありがとう」は英えい語ご（　　）何なんですか。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Before a noun it becomes でいう or でいうところの: "what X would call…".

その選せん手しゅは、サッカーでいう司し令れい塔とうの役やく割わりを果はたしている。

That player fills what soccer would call the playmaker role.

一ひと言ことで言いうと, "in a word", is a set phrase.

一ひと言ことで言いうと、最さい高こうの旅りょ行こうだった。

In a word, it was a fantastic trip.

In conversation it also gets used for "X-wise".

値ね段だんで言いうと、こっちのほうが安やすい。

Price-wise, this one is cheaper.

More sentences

彼かれの役やく職しょくは、軍ぐん隊たいで言いうと大たい佐さに相そう当とうする。

His position is equivalent to a colonel in military terms.

犬いぬの十じゅう二に歳さいは、人にん間げんの年ねん齢れいで言いうと六ろく十じゅっ歳さいくらいだ。

Twelve for a dog is about sixty in human years.

この大たい会かいの準じゅん優ゆう勝しょうは、オリンピックで言いうと銀ぎんメダルに当あたる。

Second place in this tournament is the equivalent of a silver medal at the Olympics.

この役やく職しょくは、一いっ般ぱん企き業ぎょうで言いうと課か長ちょうに近ちかい。

This position is roughly equivalent to a section manager in an ordinary company.