Lesson 142: 〜に おいて・〜に わたって・〜の もとで
N2 · Lesson 142 · 18 min — At ~, across/for ~, under ~: three formal phrases from the ward office briefing
The first lesson of the N2 part! Last time, Rin read the notice: the promised cherry tree will be cut before spring. This lesson teaches three formal phrases you often hear at briefings and in notices and news. Start with the comic!
After this lesson, you can:
- Use に おいて / に おける for "at ~ (a place or field)": 説明会は 区役所に おいて 行われる
- Use に わたって / に わたる for "lasting ~, across ~": 工事は 3年に わたって 続く
- Use の もとで / の もとに for "under ~'s guidance or conditions": 区の 指導の もとで
- Avoid common mistakes: 3時 (a point in time) vs. 3時間 (a length of time); use 下 for a physical "below"; use で for small personal actions
The Ward Office Briefing
The notice says the promised tree will be cut before spring. In November, Rin and Mr. Kuma go to the ward office briefing. (道路 = road, 計画 = plan, 本計画 = this plan, 工事 = construction, 指導 = guidance, 許可 = permission, 住民 = residents, 守る = to guard)
において = the written-style で, にわたって = lasting / across, のもとで = under ~. Next lesson: Rin raises his hand at a briefing for the first time...
Words for this lesson: briefings and road plans
- 〜に おいて (ni oite): at ~, in ~ (place, situation, field)
- 〜に おける (ni okeru): in ~, at ~ (before a noun)
- 〜に わたって (ni watatte): lasting ~; across the whole ~
- 〜の もとで (no moto de): under ~ (guidance, a person, conditions)
- 説明会 (setsumeikai): briefing, information session
- 区役所 (kuyakusho): ward office
- 計画 (keikaku): plan
- 本計画 (honkeikaku): this plan (formal)
- 道路 (dōro): road
- 工事 (kōji): construction work
- 指導 (shidō): guidance
- 許可 (kyoka): permission
- 住民 (jūmin): residents
- 範囲 (han'i): range, scope
- 分野 (bun'ya): field, area
- 研究 (kenkyū): research
- 医療 (iryō): medical care
- 師匠 (shishō): master (of a craft)
- 行う (okonau): hold, carry out (formal)
- 進める (susumeru): move forward with, carry out (a plan)
- 守る (mamoru): guard, protect
Grammar 1 / 3: において・における
Noun + に おいて = the written-style で: "at/in ~" (the place, situation or field where something happens). Before a noun, use に おける. 説明会は 区役所に おいて 行われる = The briefing is held at the ward office.
- Form: noun + に おいて / に おける + noun: Put に おいて right after the noun. When a noun follows, change it to に おける: 日本に おける 生活. For a field, は is often added: 研究の 分野に おいては (in the field of research).
- Meaning: at/in ~ (place, situation, field): It shows the place, situation or field where an activity, ceremony or event happens. It is the written-style で: 区役所で 行われる → 区役所に おいて 行われる. It also works for "fields" like science or industry: 研究の 分野に おいて (in the field of research).
- Feel: notices, news, speeches: You often hear it at briefings and in notices, news, reports and ceremonies. The subject is usually an event: a meeting, an activity, construction work. For one person's everyday small actions (waiting, eating, shopping), never use に おいて, however formal you want to be. Use で.
- Careful: it only replaces で: The に in 住む, ある and いる (where something exists) and the に in 行く (destination) can't be replaced with に おいて.
- 説明会は 区役所に おいて 行われます。 — The briefing is held at the ward office.
- 本計画に おいて、道路を 広げる 予定である。 — This plan will widen the road.
- 研究の 分野に おいては、この 大学が 有名だ。 — In the field of research, this university is famous.
- 日本に おける 留学生の 生活に ついて 発表した。 — I gave a report about international students' life in Japan.
- 本計画に おける 工事は、来年 3月に 始まる。 — The construction in this plan starts next March.
Grammar 2 / 3: にわたって・にわたる
Time or range + に わたって = lasting ~, across the whole ~ (it stresses "long" or "wide"). Before a noun, use に わたる. 工事は 3年に わたって 続く = The construction continues for three whole years.
- Form: noun + に わたって / に わたる + noun: Put a noun of time or range before it: 3年に わたって, 広い 範囲に わたって. Before a noun, use に わたる: 10年に わたる 研究. In writing you may also see に わたり、 (the connecting form).
- Meaning: lasting ~; across the whole ~: With a length of time, it means "for a whole ~, lasting ~." With a range, it means "across the whole ~." The speaker feels it is long or wide, so they use it.
- Followed by an action that continues: It is often followed by something that lasts for a while: 続く, 行われる, 降る, 調べる. Actions that happen in a moment (終わる, 始まる) can't follow it directly.
- Careful: 時 (point) vs. 時間 (length): 3時 = three o'clock (a point in time), so it can't take に わたって. 3時間 = three hours (a length), so it can. A very short time like 5分 (five minutes) doesn't work either.
- 工事は 3年に わたって 続く 予定だ。 — The construction is planned to continue for three years.
- 説明会は 2時間に わたって 行われた。 — The briefing went on for two whole hours.
- 台風で、広い 範囲に わたって 雨が 降った。 — Because of the typhoon, it rained across a wide area.
- 熊さんは 40年に わたって ラーメンを 作って きた。 — Mr. Kuma has been making ramen for forty years.
- 10年に わたる 研究が 終わった。 — The ten-year research project has ended.
Grammar 3 / 3: のもとで・のもとに
Noun + の もとで (の もとに) = under ~: doing something under a person's guidance or lead, or under certain conditions. 区の 指導の もとで 進める = to carry it out under the ward's guidance.
- Form: noun + の もとで / の もとに: You must use の: 先生の もとで, 指導の もとで. もとで and もとに are close in meaning. With a person, もとで is common (師匠の もとで). With permission or conditions, もとに is common (許可の もとに).
- Meaning 1: under ~'s guidance or lead: It follows a person or "指導": 師匠の もとで 働く (work under a master), 先生の 指導の もとで (under the teacher's guidance).
- Meaning 2: under certain conditions: It follows conditions such as "許可, 約束": 区の 許可の もとに (with the ward's permission).
- Careful: don't mix it up with 下 or を もとに: For a physical "below" you can see, use 下: 机の 下. The を もとに from Lesson 128 means "based on ~" (資料を もとに 作る). Its particle is を, and the meaning is different.
- 工事は 区の 指導の もとで 進められる。 — The construction goes ahead under the ward's guidance.
- リンは ねこ先生の 指導の もとで、毎日 日本語を 勉強して いる。 — Rin studies Japanese every day under Neko-sensei's guidance.
- 熊さんは 若い とき、師匠の もとで ラーメンの 作り方を 習った。 — When Mr. Kuma was young, he learned to make ramen under his master.
- 区の 許可の もとに、お祭りが 行われた。 — With the ward's permission, a festival was held.
- 熊太は 店長の もとで、アルバイトを して いる。 — Kumata works part-time under the shop manager.