ともかく

と

も

か

く

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

adverb

anyway; anyhow; in any case

usually written using kana alone

Used to move past details, change the subject, or conclude that something holds regardless of circumstances. Often sentence-initial or after a topic.

ともかく、まずはやってみよう。
Anyway, let's just give it a try first.
理り由ゆうはともかく、結けっ果かは良よかった。
Whatever the reason, the result was good.

adverb

setting aside ...; apart from ...

usually written using kana alone

Used in the pattern …はともかく to set a topic aside before focusing on something else. The preceding noun or clause is acknowledged but not discussed.

見みた目めはともかく、味あじは最さい高こうだ。
Appearance aside, the taste is excellent.
費ひ用ようはともかく、時じ間かんがかかりすぎる。
Cost aside, it takes too much time.

See all 43 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉はともかくsetting aside ...; leaving ... aside
値ね段だんはともかく、味あじはとてもいい。
Price aside, the taste is really good.
ともかく、〈事こと〉anyway, ...; in any case, ...
ともかく、まずは休やすもう。
Anyway, let's rest first.
〈事こと〉はともかくとしてsetting ... aside for now
結けっ果かはともかくとして、努ど力りょくは認みとめられるべきだ。
Regardless of the result, the effort should be recognized.
何なにはともかくbefore anything else; whatever else may be the case
何なにはともかく、まず謝あやまるべきだ。
Whatever else, you should apologize first.

Grammar

はともかく（として）leaving aside; never mindN2

Kanji

兎rabbit, hare
角angle, corner, square

Related words· 6

とにかくN3sense 1
とにかく carries more force and urgency, pushing forward regardless, while ともかく is softer and more often used to set something aside or shift topics.
さておく sense 2
さておく (as in 〜はさておき) means to deliberately leave a topic aside, closely matching the setting-aside use of ともかく in 〜はともかく.
いずれにせよ sense 1
いずれにせよ is a more formal, logical way to say 'either way, be that as it may', whereas ともかく is casual and conversational.
さておき
ともかく means 'anyway/in any case' and moves on without specifically flagging a topic as set aside, while さておき explicitly names the topic being put aside before shifting to another.

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とかくN1
ともかく is the common, neutral word for 'anyway/in any case', while とかく is a more literary, old-fashioned way to express the same idea and also has the separate 'tend to' meaning ともかく lacks.
それはさておき
ともかく is a general-purpose 'anyway/in any case' that can start a sentence without referring back to anything, whereas それはさておき specifically dismisses a point just made before returning to the main topic.

Word family

ともかくも
anyhow; anyway; in any case; be that as it may

Written forms

ともかくUsage99%
Kana spelling is standard; the word is usually written in kana.
兎とも角かくUsage1%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji kanji form; rarely used and mainly encountered in older or stylized writing.

Etymology

Derived from the phrase ともかくも, a combination of と (quotative particle), も (inclusive particle), and かく (thus, in this way). The ateji spelling 兎も角 is a phonetic rendering and not related to the meaning of the kanji.