はさておき

はさておき means setting aside; leaving aside (for now). It is a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar pattern used to temporarily park a topic or priority so you can focus on another matter without dismissing the original completely.

This grammar point often appears in formal discussions, meetings, essays, and N1 reading passages. If you want to acknowledge a point but shift focus politely, はさておき is a useful pattern to learn because it adds natural precision to your Japanese.

What does はさておき mean?

Use はさておき when you want to set aside a topic, consideration, or issue temporarily in order to discuss or act on something else. It signals that the item is not being dismissed, only deferred.

Natural translations include:

• setting aside; leaving aside; putting aside for the moment; jokes aside (when paired with 冗談(じょうだん))

The best translation depends on the sentence. Try to notice the writer’s or speaker’s purpose first, then choose the English phrase that fits that context.

How to form はさておき

Examples of the pattern:

• 冗談じょうだんはさておき
• 見みた目めはさておき
• 個人的こじんてきな意見いけんはさておき

The form before the grammar point matters. In N1 questions, the wrong answer choices often use a similar meaning but attach it to the wrong type of word.

When is はさておき used?

Use はさておき in situations like:

• moving a conversation from a tangent back to the main point
• acknowledging a valid concern but postponing discussion
• separating factual content from personal opinion in formal writing
• opening a meeting or presentation by setting aside small talk

Tone and register:

• neutral to slightly formal; common in business, academia, and public speaking
• appears frequently in N1 reading comprehension, especially argumentative essays and transcripts

はさておき example sentences

After reading each sentence, ask what job はさておき is doing: it creates a pivot point, setting one item aside so another can be addressed. That makes the nuance easier to remember than a one-word translation.

Nuance of はさておき

The key nuance is temporarily setting aside with a purpose, not dismissing. The speaker respects the existence of the topic but decides it’s not the priority right now.

This matters because learners often treat it like “ignore” or “forget about”, but はさておき preserves the topic for later. For example:

• In a meeting, 冗談(じょうだん)はさておき shows you appreciated the joke but need to move on.
• 過去(かこ)の失敗(しっぱい)はさておき acknowledges the past without letting it dominate the future.
• Compared with 無視(むし)する (ignore), はさておき carries a cooperative tone.

If you replace はさておき with a simple “X is not important” wording, you risk sounding dismissive or rude.

はさておき vs はそっちのけで

Both はさておき and はそっちのけで move something aside, but their attitudes differ sharply.

If both translations seem possible, check the intent. Is the action a respectful pause (はさておき) or an unhealthy neglect (はそっちのけで)? The tone often tells you which grammar point is natural. For example, saying 社員(しゃいん)の安全(あんぜん)はそっちのけで利益(りえき)を追求(ついきゅう)した (pursued profit, neglecting employee safety) carries strong criticism — much heavier than a gentle はさておき would.

Common mistakes with はさておき

Watch out for these mistakes:

A helpful practice method is to write one sentence with はさておき, then rewrite it with はそっちのけで. If the meaning or tone changes, explain that difference in your own words.

Is はさておき on the JLPT?

Yes. はさておき is commonly taught as JLPT N1 grammar.

That means learners should be able to:

• identify it while reading at speed
• understand why a speaker inserted it at a key pivot point
• use it appropriately in written arguments

For test preparation, study the grammar point in full sentences. N1 questions often test whether you understand the surrounding context, not just the dictionary meaning.

Practice questions for はさておき

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

Keep your first sentences simple. Once the structure feels natural, add more context so the nuance becomes clear.

Learning path for はさておき

To learn はさておき efficiently, start with its formation, then compare it with similar patterns, and finally practice in context.

Related grammar to review next

• はそっちのけで — because it also pushes something aside, but with a negative, neglectful shade
• はおろか — because it expresses “let alone; not to mention”, a stronger way to set something aside in a comparison
• はどうであれ — because it means “regardless of”, setting aside a condition rather than a topic
• は — because the topic particle は itself has contrastive and contextual-setting functions that はさておき builds upon

Learn はさておき with Hane

If you want to review はさておき together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

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