つまり: 'In Other Words' / 'In Short' (Meaning + Examples)
つまり repackages — it never extends
つまり links two statements where the second re-expresses the first: a clearer rephrase, a definition of a term you just used, or a conclusion pulled from what came before. Nothing new arrives with it — the information is already on the table, and つまり simply hands it over in a form the listener can grab.
モチは肉も魚も食べない。つまり、ベジタリアンだ。
モチは にくも さかなも たべない。つまり、ベジタリアンだ。
Mochi eats neither meat nor fish. In other words, she's a vegetarian.
Notice there is no fresh fact in "ベジタリアン" — it's the same information, relabelled. That subtraction test is the whole game: if the second clause smuggles in something new, つまり is the wrong tool.
Front of the clause, or wedged between two nouns
つまり needs no conjugation — you just drop it in front of the restatement. It has two homes: the start of a sentence or clause (with a comma), and, stripped of the comma, between two nouns as an appositive that renames the first.
| Position | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence-initial | 〜。つまり、〜。 | 高い。つまり、買えない。 |
| Mid-sentence (appositive) | 名詞、つまり名詞 | 母の姉、つまり私のおば |
| With a closing phrase | 〜。つまり、〜ということだ／わけだ。 | 連絡がない。つまり、忘れたわけだ。 |
The one place it does not go is buried inside a clause — it always heads the restatement.
母の姉、つまり私のおばが来た。
ははの あね、つまり わたしの おばが きた。
My mother's older sister — that is, my aunt — came over.
つまり renames 母の姉 in plainer terms.
Landing a conclusion with 〜ということだ / 〜わけだ
When つまり pulls an inference rather than a flat rephrase, native writers seal the logic at the end with 〜ということだ ("which means…") or 〜わけだ ("so that means…"). This closing frame is extremely common — it tells the reader the second clause is a deduction, not just a paraphrase, and it makes the reasoning click shut.
ヤッタンは三日間連絡がない。つまり、何かあったということだ。
ヤッタンは みっかかん れんらくが ない。つまり、なにか あった ということだ。
Yattan hasn't been in touch for three days. In short, something must have happened.
つまり draws a conclusion, closed off with ということだ.
先生は「やり直し」と言った。つまり、もう一度やれということだ。
せんせいは「やりなおし」と いった。つまり、もう いちど やれ ということだ。
The teacher said 'do it over.' In other words, he wants me to do it one more time.
弟は宿題を全部忘れた。つまり、また怒られるわけだ。
おとうとは しゅくだいを ぜんぶ わすれた。つまり、また おこられる わけだ。
My little brother forgot all his homework. So that means he'll get scolded again.
つまり + わけだ: a natural conclusion from the facts.
つまり, すなわち, or 要するに?
All three restate, but the register and the job differ:
- つまり — neutral, all-purpose "in other words / that is." At home in speech and writing alike, which is why it's the default and can read a touch casual in stiff academic or legal text.
- すなわち (即ち) — the formal, bookish "namely / that is precisely," reserved for writing: 日本の首都、すなわち東京 ("Japan's capital, namely Tokyo"). When the sentence needs to sound weighty, this is the safer pick over つまり.
- 要するに (ようするに) — "to sum up / the point is," for cutting to the bottom line after a long or messy explanation. Slightly blunt; it can sound impatient.
Rough guide: rephrasing → つまり; formal → すなわち; boiling a long story down → 要するに.
Watch the two traps
The mistake that actually breaks the sentence is loading つまり with a new fact — reach for それから / また / さらに when you're adding a point, not つまり (✗ 来週は試験だ。つまり、来月は旅行に行く。). The subtler one is dropping the closing frame on an inference: when つまり leads to a deduction, finish with ということだ or わけだ so the logic lands.
つまり in a few more contexts
この店は日曜が休みだ。つまり、明日は開いていない。
この みせは にちようが やすみだ。つまり、あした は ひらいて いない。
This shop is closed on Sundays. In short, it won't be open tomorrow.
The short version
- つまり = "in other words / that is / in short" — it restates or sums up, never adds new info.
- It sits sentence-initially with a comma, or between two nouns as a comma-free appositive.
- It often pairs with 〜ということだ / 〜わけだ when drawing a conclusion.
- Register is neutral; compare すなわち (formal "namely") and 要するに (boil down to the point).
Practice it
Choose the sentence where つまり correctly restates or concludes.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
外国人の一団が江戸、＿＿＿東京に到着した。
Frequently asked questions
Does つまり add new information?
No. つまり only restates or sums up what was already said — in clearer words, a definition, or a conclusion. To add a new point, use それから, また, or さらに instead.
What's the difference between つまり and すなわち?
They overlap, but すなわち is more formal and bookish ('namely'), common in academic or legal writing. つまり is neutral and works in everyday speech and writing.
How is 要するに different from つまり?
要するに means 'to sum up / the point is' and is used to cut to the bottom line after a long explanation. It can sound blunt. つまり simply rephrases and is more neutral.
Why does つまり often end with ということだ?
When つまり introduces a conclusion drawn from the facts, ということだ or わけだ closes the logic: 連絡がない。つまり、忘れたということだ ('No reply. That means he forgot').
Where つまり fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜という · N3 — 〜という names things (「ヤッタン」という犬), wraps hearsay (来ないという), and packages a clause into a noun (失敗したという事実). Learn all three N3 uses.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜わけだ · N3 — 〜わけだ marks a logical conclusion that naturally follows from facts: 'so that means,' 'no wonder,' 'it follows that.' Learn the formation and how it differs from はず and から.
- 〜ことだ · N3 — 〜ことだ gives direct, practical advice — 'the best thing is to' / 'you should.' Learn the formation, how it differs from べき and the nominalizer こと, and common mistakes.
Once this clicks, go on to
- 〜という · N3 — 〜という names things (「ヤッタン」という犬), wraps hearsay (来ないという), and packages a clause into a noun (失敗したという事実). Learn all three N3 uses.
More N3 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜わけではない — 〜わけではない softly corrects an assumption: 'it's not that…' / 'it doesn't necessarily mean…'. Learn the formation, the casual わけじゃない, and how it differs from わけがない.
- 〜を中心に — 〜を中心に means 'centered on / mainly / with X at the center.' Learn the formation, the を中心として and を中心にして variants, and the adnominal を中心とした.
- 〜ようとする — 〜ようとする adds とする to the volitional form: (1) try/attempt to do, (2) be just about to do. Negative 〜ようとしない means won't or refuses to do.
- 〜ような気がする — 〜ような気がする expresses a vague hunch or intuition ('I have a feeling that...'). Learn how to attach it, the past 気がした, the bare 気がする, and how it's softer than と思う.
- 〜ざるを得ない — 〜ざるを得ない means 'have no choice but to' — circumstances force an action you'd rather avoid. Learn the formation, the irregular せざるを得ない, and how it differs from 〜なければならない.