として
として generally means “As a”, but may also mean “for a” or “Even if”.
Broadly speaking, it has 2 main functions:
- As a role marker: “As a” and “For a”
- As a supposition: “As if it were” and “Even if”
Roles
As a role marker, として is used with nouns and stresses the role or function.
The word before として becomes the topic, and for people, speaks from that point of view.
As a
Noun/Adjective + として
The most common usage of として is as a role marker for people and people related words:
- 親として許されないことだ – (I,)As a parent, (it) is unforgiveable. (NOT because they are a parent)
- 会社として認められないことだ – As a business, it can’t acknowledge (something).
- 男として黙ってはいられない – As a man, I can’t sit by and do nothing.
- 先生は子供を指導役として、常に正しい行動をしなければならない
Teachers, as people who guide students, must behave appropriately at all times.
This として when used with は, may also sound rude as it can imply unsuitability:
- 店としては小さすぎる – It’s too small to be a store.
This として may attach to nouns as としての:
- 社長としての決断だった – A decision made as the CEO (not as an individual).
として may attach to non-people words as well, stressing its function:
- 説明として分かりにくい – As an explanation, its hard to understand.
- 仕事として雑すぎる – As (paid) work, its too lazy/clumsy.
- 壁の色として眩しすぎる – As a wall color, its too bright.
- ハンマーとしては軽すぎる – As a hammer, its too light.
For a
Noun + として
The considering meaning is used to qualify a statement in relation to a position.
Since として qualifies a statement, it can diminish the overall statement, and possibly sound rude,
In particular when used with は.
- 子供としては背が高い – Tall for a child. (As for a child, they are tall).
- 大人として背が低い – Short for an adult.
- ライオンとしては弱い – Weak for a lion. (Pretty weak to be a lion).
- 小学生としても背が低い – Even for a elementary school kid, they are short.
- 急いでやったこととしても雑すぎる – Even for something you did quickly, its too clumsy.
Supposition
As/As if it were
Noun + として
As a supposition marker, として marks a statement or noun as being treated as if it were true.
This pattern tends to be used with 扱う (To treat/deal with).
This として is usually contrary to reality, and explicitly ignores it.
- 彼をお客様として扱う – Treat him as (if he were) a guest.
- お客様を王様として接してください – Interact with the guests as if they were kings.
- 自分の子供として育った – Raised (them) as if they were my own child.
Even if
Noun/な adjective + だとしても
Plain form Verb/い Adjective + としても
としても literally means “Even assuming that..”. Its basically identical to ても。
This としても may be used with verbs.
- 大男だとしても、重すぎる – Even for a big guy, its too heavy.
- 神様だとしてもできない – Even a god couldn’t do it.
- 頑張るとしても間に合わない – Even if we try we won’t make it in time.
- 彼が裏がらないとしてもうまくいかない – Even if he doesn’t betray us it won’t go well.
References
Jn1et – Helped me to organize this information, all in Japanese.