として

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

1

as; in the role of; from the viewpoint of

Marks a role, capacity, or standpoint. Follows a noun or noun phrase.

彼かれは医い者しゃとして有ゆう名めいだ。
He is famous as a doctor.
私わたしとしては、その計けい画かくに賛さん成せいです。
As for me, I agree with the plan.

2

apart from ...; leaving aside ...

Used to change the topic or set something aside, often followed by a new subject. Common in patterns like ～は別として.

冗じょう談だんは別べつとして、本ほん題だいに入はいりましょう。
Joking aside, let's get to the main topic.

3

even; not even

Used before a negative form to emphasize that something is completely absent. Often follows a counter or a minimal unit like 一人.

一人ひとりとして来こなかった。
Not even one person came.

4

thinking that ...; trying to ...

Follows a volitional form (～ようとして) to express an attempt or intention. Related to とする.

See also: とする

彼かれは早はやく起おきようとして、目め覚ざましをかけた。
Trying to wake up early, he set an alarm.

Grammar

Related words

に
として explicitly marks a role or capacity ('as'), while に alone can express the same role sense in more limited, fixed expressions.
たる
たる is a stiff, literary form usually fixed in phrases like 教師たる者, while として is the everyday way to express the same idea of role or capacity, as in 教師として.
としても
として means 'as' or 'in the capacity of' and marks a stance without the concessive nuance, while としても adds も to mean 'also as' or 'even assuming that.'

Don't confuse with

にとって sense 1
として marks a role or capacity (e.g. 'as a teacher'), while にとって marks the standpoint from which something is judged (e.g. 'for a teacher, this is hard').
だてらに
として means 'in the capacity of' with no negative judgment, while だてらに always implies the action is inappropriate or unexpected for that role.

Etymology

Derived from the particle と (quoting/resultative) combined with the conjunctive form して of the verb する (to do). The exact historical development is straightforward.