〜をもって: Formal 'By Means Of / As Of' (Deadlines & Means)
Marking a formal means or standard
〜をもって states the formal means, method, or standard by which something is decided or carried out — common in rules, charters, and official procedures.
開発者は集合体として以下の権限を持つ。３：１の賛成多数をもって、この憲章を修正できる。
かいはつしゃは しゅうごうたいとして いかの けんげんを もつ。３：１の さんせい たすうを もって、この けんしょうを しゅうせいできる。
As a collective, developers hold the following rights. With a 3:1 majority, this charter can be amended.
をもって marks the vote count as the formal means of amendment.
Marking a formal deadline or boundary point ("as of X")
Attached to a date, time, or event, 〜をもって marks the exact formal point something ends or takes effect — the classic phrasing for business closures and official notices.
本日をもって、営業を終了いたします。
ほんじつを もって、えいぎょうを しゅうりょう いたします。
Effective today, we are closing for business.
A very common set phrase for store or service closures.
本日をもって、やったんのアルバイトは終了となります。
ほんじつを もって、やったんの アルバイトは しゅうりょうと なります。
As of today, Yattan's part-time job comes to an end.
Even a small personal announcement can borrow this formal phrasing for a ceremonial tone.
Form
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (means/standard) | Noun + をもって + Verb | 実力をもって勝負する |
| Noun (time/date) | Time noun + をもって + [終了する/修正できる] | 本日をもって終了する |
ご本人確認ができ次第、書面をもって対応させていただきます。
ごほんにん かくにんが できしだい、しょめんを もって たいおうさせて いただきます。
Once identity verification is complete, we will respond in writing.
書面をもって = 'by means of a written document,' typical business-formal usage.
Nuance: をもって vs で
The everyday particle で can express plain means ("ペンで書く"), but 〜をもって is reserved for formal, ceremonial, or written contexts — speeches, contracts, official notices. Using をもって in casual conversation sounds stiff or overly bureaucratic; that stiffness is exactly the point in the register it belongs to.
The short version
- 〜をもって = "by means of X" / "as of X, effective X" (formal)
- Attaches to: Noun (means/standard, or time/date) + をもって
- Nuance/register: formal, written/ceremonial; found in contracts, charters, official closing notices
- Don't confuse with: で (neutral, everyday means — no formal/ceremonial weight)
Practice it
Choose をもって for a formal means or an 'as of [date]' deadline.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
開発者は集合体として以下の権限を持つ。３：１の賛成多数＿＿＿、この憲章を修正できる。
Where 〜をもって fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜てください · N5 — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜始末だ — 〜始末だ attaches to a clause to mean 'it ended up in [this bad state],' summing up a chain of bad decisions or events with criticism or regret — 無駄遣いばかりして、ついに始末だ ('kept wasting money, and it ended up like this').
- 〜に対して — 〜に対して attaches to a noun and marks the target of an attitude or action ('toward'), sets up a contrast between two facts, or expresses a ratio ('per'). Before a following noun it becomes に対する.
- 〜といえども — 〜といえども attaches to a noun or plain form to mean 'even though / even if X' — 専門家といえども、すべてを知っているわけではない. Formal and literary, it concedes a status before stating a limit or exception to it.
- 〜とはいえ — 〜とはいえ is a formal 'although / that said' — it concedes a point just stated, then adds a contrasting fact that still holds despite it. Common in writing and formal speech to soften a contradiction.
- 〜のみならず — 〜のみならず means 'not only...but also,' formally adding a second, often larger point to what was just said — 世界中にのみならず (not only in this country but the whole world). It's the formal register cousin of 〜だけでなく.
- 〜であれ — 〜であれ attaches to a noun (often paired or with a question word) to mean 'whether... or' / 'no matter what' — 誰であれ ('no matter who'). It's a formal concessive used in written and rhetorical Japanese.