おいて

お

い

て

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

usually written using kana alone

Used in the pattern ...において to mark a specific time or location where something occurs. Formal written style; in speech, で is more common.

Kanji

於at, in, on

Related words

において
において and おいて are functionally the same formal marker for time, place, or topic, but において is the fuller, more commonly written form while おいて is a stiffer contraction often heard in speeches.
で sense 1
で is the everyday, spoken way to mark a place or time, while おいて is formal and mainly appears in written reports or official statements.
によって sense 3
によって is the modern, common way to mark the agent or means of an action, while おいて in this sense sounds old-fashioned and stiff.

Written forms

Applies to each form listed below

rarely-used kanji form

於おいて
Rare kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.
於おいて
Rare kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.

Etymology

Contraction of において, from the verb 置く (to place) in its continuative form 置き + particle て, literally 'placing at'. The kanji 於 is a classical Chinese character used for location, adopted in Japanese as ateji.