JLPT N3Written and careful speechComparing

点てんin that respect; the point that

点てん is "point" in the sense of one respect or feature. It names the respect in which something is true: "in that…", "in terms of…", "the fact that…".

このホテルは駅えきに近ちかいという点てんで便べん利りだ。

This hotel is convenient in that it is close to the station.

この案あんは安あん全ぜん性せいの点てんでは優すぐれているが、費ひ用ようが高たかい。

This plan is strong on safety, but it is expensive.

How to form it

Plain form + （という）点てん + で／では／が／を

A な-adjective keeps な: 簡かん単たんな点てん. With という in between, it keeps だ: 必ひつ要ようだという点てん.

After a noun

Noun + の点てん + で／では

値ね段だんの点てんでは, as far as price goes.

With で: In that respect: the ground for calling things good, bad, alike or different.
With では: In that respect, if not in others. A "but" often follows.
With が or を: "The fact that…": a feature you like, worry about or check.
Where you'll meet it: Reviews, comparisons, essays, presentations, meetings. It sounds thought-out.

In use

両りょう者しゃは事じ前ぜんの予よ約やくが必ひつ要ようだという点てんで同おなじだ。

The two are alike in that both have to be booked in advance.

このアプリは操そう作さが簡かん単たんな点てんで、初しょ心しん者しゃに向むいている。

This app suits beginners in that it is easy to use.

オンライン授じゅ業ぎょうは、場ば所しょを選えらばずに参さん加かできるという点てんが魅み力りょくだ。

The appeal of online classes is that you can join from anywhere.

契けい約やく前まえに、途と中ちゅうで解かい約やくできないという点てんを確かく認にんしてください。

Before you sign, please check that you can't cancel partway through.

Two things to know

Everyday words built on it

いい点てん and 悪わるい点てん are good points and bad points, 問もん題だい点てん is what is wrong with something, and この点てん or その点てん points back at what was just said.

この町まちのいい点てんは、家や賃ちんが安やすいことだ。

The good thing about this town is that rents are low.

この点てんでは、二人ふたりの意い見けんは同おなじだ。

On this point, the two of them agree.

Chatting, people say ところ

For a feature you like or dislike, casual talk has ところ in place of 点てん.

この店みせは安やすいところがいいね。

What's good about this place is that it's cheap.

Close neighbours

にとってN3

Whose point of view a judgment is made from. 点てん names the feature that makes something true; にとって names who it is true for.

このホテルは出しゅっ張ちょう者しゃにとって便べん利りだ。

This hotel is convenient for business travelers.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

この二ふたつの町まちは、海うみに近ちかいという（　　）似にている。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

デザイン（　　）、こちらのほうが好すきだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

二ふたつの製せい品ひんは電でん池ちを交こう換かんできるという点てんで共きょう通つうしている。

The two products are alike in that their batteries can be replaced.

このカメラは軽かるい点てんで旅りょ行こうに向むいている。

This camera suits travel in that it is light.

この地ち域いきは交こう通つうの便べんの点てんでは暮くらしやすい。

As far as transport goes, this area is easy to live in.

この計けい画かくには、費ひ用ようの見み積つもりが不ふ十じゅう分ぶんな点てんがある。

One weakness of this plan is that its cost estimate is inadequate.

採さい用ようを決きめる前まえに、実じつ務む経けい験けんが不ふ足そくしている点てんを考こう慮りょした。

Before deciding whether to hire, we took the lack of practical experience into account.