“〜to wa” (exclamation): To Think That…! / Of All Things, 〜! [JLPT N1]
By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026
とは used for strong exclamation or surprise
“〜to wa” (exclamation): To Think That…! / Of All Things, 〜!
「(plain form) ＋ とは」 at the end of a sentence expresses “to think that…!, of all things…!” — strong surprise or exclamation. E.g. 「まさか宝くじが当たるとは、夢のようだ」 (to think I'd win the lottery — it's like a dream), 「彼が犯人だったとは」 (to think he was the culprit…). It conveys shock, admiration, or emotion at something unexpected, often paired with まさか・なんと, and often omits the rest, leaving a lingering note.
🧠 Core nuance: this is just too unexpected!
The core is exclamation at the unexpected: encountering something completely unforeseen (winning, that it was him, meeting here), とは expresses strong surprise, emotion, or admiration. It comes from the quotative と plus は, extended to “to think (it would be) like this…!” Often paired with まさか (to think) or なんと (how), and the end often omits 驚いた・思わなかった etc., leaving a strong lingering note.
📌 How to Connect
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| plain form ＋ とは | to think that 〜 (exclamation) | 当たるとは |
| noun だ → noun ＋ とは | to think it's 〜 | 犯人とは |
| まさか/なんと ＋ 〜とは | to think 〜 of all things | まさか〜とは |
💬 Example Sentences
- まさか宝くじが当たるとは、夢にも思わなかった。(To think I'd win the lottery — I never dreamed it.) — surprise
- あの真面目な彼が犯人だったとは。(To think that earnest fellow was the culprit…) — unthinkable
- こんな所で君に会うとは、奇遇だね。(To think I'd meet you in a place like this — what a coincidence.) — emotion
- たった一年でこれほど成長するとは、驚きだ。(To think you'd grow this much in just a year — astonishing.) — admiration
- 彼があんなことを言うとは、信じられない。(To think he'd say such a thing — unbelievable.) — shock
🔄 Compare: とは(exclamation) vs なんて vs とは(definition) vs ものだ
| Expression | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜とは (exclamation) | “to think that 〜” (surprise/emotion, written feel) | 当たるとは |
| 〜なんて | “to think 〜!” (colloquial, surprise/scorn) | 当たるなんて |
| 〜とは (definition) | “〜 means…” (defining) | 愛とは何か |
| 〜ものだ | “it really is 〜” (musing on a truism) | 月日がたつのは早いものだ |
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- Confusing with the defining use: 愛とは何か = defining; まさか〜とは = exclamation — judge by context and whether まさか/なんと is present.
- The preceding clause can't be omitted: とは (exclamation) needs preceding content (✗ a bare 「とは行く」).
- The rest is often omitted: the end often drops 驚いた・思わなかった, leaving a lingering note; no need to force it in.
- Connection: plain form ＋ とは; a noun attaches directly ＋ とは (犯人とは).
💡 Nuance & When to Use
とは (exclamatory use) means “to think that…!, of all things…!,” expressing strong surprise, emotion, or admiration at something unexpected (to think I'd win, that it was him, that I'd meet you here). It leans written with a lingering note, often paired with まさか・なんと, and the end often omits 驚いた etc., leaving an exclamatory tail. The colloquial near-equivalent is なんて. Note とは also has a defining use (愛とは…); tell them apart by context. Master the “to think…! (exclamation)” feel. A must at N1.
🎯 JLPT Exam Tips
- Commonly tested at N1: (plain form/noun) ＋ とは = to think that 〜 (exclamation/emotion).
- Pairing: often with まさか・なんと; the ending is often omitted.
- Distinction: とは (exclamation, to think) vs とは (definition, “means”) vs なんて (colloquial).
🖊️ 練習題（5題）
Q1. 「まさか宝くじが当たる___、夢のようだ。」（竟然，感嘆）
(A) とは (B) とか (C) たり (D) なり
Q2. 「とは(感嘆)」とよく一緒に来るのは?
(A) まさか／なんと (B) もし (C) ぜひ (D) たとえ
Q3. 「彼が犯人だったとは」の意味は?
(A) 竟然(他)是犯人（驚訝/想不到）
(B) 他不是犯人
(C) 早就知道他是犯人
(D) 詢問誰是犯人
Q4. 「とは(感嘆)」の文末の特徵は?
(A) 常省略後文，留下餘韻
(B) 必須接ください
(C) 必須接か
(D) 必須接だろう
Q5. 用法が自然なのは?
(A) こんな所で会うとは。 (B) とは行く(前句なし)。
(C) とはを食べる。 (D) とはだ高い。
答案解析
1. (A) とは ── 竟然中獎(感嘆)。
2. (A) まさか／なんと ── 常配まさか/なんと。
3. (A) ── 竟然是犯人(想不到)。
4. (A) ── 常省略後文留餘韻。
5. (A) ── 「こんな所で会うとは」正確。