“kantan ni iu to・hitokoto de ieba・tsumari”: In Short / In Other Words [JLPT N4]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

Summing up an explanation concisely

「いろいろ説明したけど、簡単に言うと…」 — packing a long story into one line

After a long meeting, someone adds 「要するに、予算が足りない」 (in short, the budget's not enough) — 「簡単に言うと・一言で言えば・つまり・要するに」 are connectives that condense complex, lengthy content into one line. Their core is “summing up, wrapping up”: after much elaboration, one sentence captures the point. This guide covers this set of “summary tools” and their subtle differences.

Core: “pack it into one line”

These go before a summary sentence to “boil down the point”:

• 簡単に言うと = simply put (simplify the complex).
• 一言で言えば = in a word (condense to one).
• つまり = that is, in other words (rephrase/explain).
• 要するに = in short, at bottom (boil down to the core point).

What follows is a short conclusion, not another long passage.

Usage summary

See it in context

• いろいろあったが、簡単に言うと、失敗だった。(A lot happened, but simply put, it was a failure.) — simplify
• 一言で言えば、彼は天才だ。(In a word, he's a genius.) — condense
• つまり、君は反対なんだね。(That is, you're against it, right?) — in other words
• 説明が長かったが、要するに、予算が足りない。(The explanation was long, but in short, the budget's short.) — boil down
• 家も車もある——つまり、お金持ちだ。(House, car — in other words, they're rich.) — inference

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① What follows must be “short” — don't ramble again. After 「簡単に言うと」「要するに」 comes a condensed conclusion (a line or two). Following it with another long passage is self-contradictory (✗ 簡単に言うと… (then three more minutes)).

② つまり (rephrase) vs 要するに (boil down to the core). 「つまり」 leans “in other words / that amounts to” (inference, confirmation: つまり賛成？); 「要するに」 leans “sum it up in one point” (in short, at bottom).

③ 簡単に言うと isn't “do it simply.” It's “to put it (= explain) simply,” not “handle it easily.”

🔄 Compare: 簡単に言うと／つまり／要するに

💡 Learning tip

This set is a wrap-up tool for explaining, presenting, and writing — after saying a lot, a 「要するに…」「簡単に言うと…」 lets listeners grab the point at once. Two practical notes: ① what follows must be “short” (condensed to one line, not another ramble); ② つまり leans “in other words / that is” (confirm, infer), 要するに leans “at bottom / in short” (boil down the core). In a meeting or report, capping with 「要するに…」 makes you sound clear-headed and on-point.

❓ FAQ

Q: 「つまり」 vs 「要するに」?

Very close — both “sum up,” with a subtle difference: 「つまり」 = “that is, in other words,” often to rephrase or infer/confirm (家も車もある。つまり、お金持ちだ = in other words, they're rich); 「要するに」 = “in short, at bottom,” leaning toward boiling a long stretch down to its core (説明は長いが、要するに、無理だ). つまり stresses “amounts to,” 要するに stresses “the key point.”

Q: Can a long explanation follow these?

No — that's self-contradictory. 「簡単に言うと」「一言で言えば」「要するに」 exist to condense and wrap up, so what follows should be a one-or-two-sentence conclusion. Saying 「簡単に言うと」 then talking for three more minutes makes people wonder “what's simple about that?” Use it, and actually keep it short.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「いろいろ説明したが、___、予算が足りない。」(Simply put, the budget is insufficient)

(A) 簡単に言うと　(B) ところが　(C) ついでに　(D) そのうち

Q2. 「___、君は反対なんだね。」(In other words, you're against it, right?)

(A) つまり　(B) わざと　(C) せっかく　(D) もうすぐ

Q3. 「一言で言えば」の働きは?

(A) Condensing complex content into a one-line conclusion

(B) Indicates contrast

(C) Indicates time

(D) Indicates giving an example

Q4. 「要するに」の意味は?

(A) In short / summing up the key point

(B) Moreover

(C) However

(D) Occasionally

Q5. 使い方が自然なのは?

(A) つまり、結論はこうだ。　(B) つまり、それから話を続けた。

(C) 簡単に言うと、長々と説明した。　(D) 一言で言えば、詳しく述べる。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) 簡単に言うと ── Condensed into a conclusion (the budget is insufficient).

2. (A) つまり ── In other words (restating the conclusion).

3. (A) ── Condensing into a one-line conclusion.

4. (A) ── 要するに = in short.

5. (A) ── Followed by a concise conclusion; (B)(C)(D) contradict 「concise」.