Japanese

である

である
Meaning: formal copula 'to be'
Part of Speech: Particle

Listen to pronunciation

Handwriting

で
あ
る

Example sentences

He is a doctor.
彼は俳優であると同時に、歌手でもある。
He is an actor, and at the same time, he is also a singer.
彼は教師であり、作家でもある。
He is a teacher, but he is also a writer.
人の性は善である。
Human nature is fundamentally good.
水銀は、常温で液体である唯一の金属だ。
Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature.
子供の泣きじゃくる姿は、いかにも哀れであった。
The child's crying figure was truly pitiful.
言語は意思疎通の手段である。
Language is a means of communication.
全ての人間は法の下に平等である。
All humans are equal under the law.
彼は詩人であり、又、音楽家でもある。
He is a poet and also a musician.
東京は日本の経済の中枢である。
Tokyo is the economic center of Japan.

Usage Notes

である is the formal written form of です, primarily used in academic writing, newspapers, and formal documents. It follows nouns and na-adjectives to state facts or make assertions. Cannot be used with i-adjectives directly.

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