Meaning
- although
All JLPT 1 grammar : こそあれ（こそあれ, koso are）, although, Conjunction, Particle
The use of こそあれ is quite particular. It expresses two opposite aspects an object, an action or a living body can hold (e.g. : “by doing this, there are some merits but also some demerits”, “although Alfred was a dog, ‘he’ had facial expressions close to human’s” etc..)
こそあれ is a synonym of 〜なのに or 〜ものの
Example
| 日本語 | 意味 |
|---|---|
| 犬でこそあれ人間も及ばないところがあった。 | Although he was a dog, he was more than a human in many aspects. |
| 今回の企画を実施すれば、メリットを得るこそあれデメリットは無い。 | If we put in practice our plan this time, although we could get the merits, we would not get the demerits. |
| 女でこそあれ、あんな男に決して負けはしない！ | Although (“they can say that”) I am a woman, I will NEVER lose to this man. |
Vocabulary
| 日本語 | ローマ字 | 意味 |
|---|---|---|
| 犬 | inu | a dog |
| 人間 | ningen | (a) human |
| 及ばない | oyobanai | to not equal something/someone, to be at a higher level than something/someone |
| 企画 | kikaku | a plan |
| 実施 | jisshi | to put in place, to put in practice |
| 決して | kesshite | (to) never (something) |
| 負ける | makeru | to lose, to be defeated |
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