Difference between 'は' and 'とは'
While reading Japanese articles I encountered sentences in forms of '名詞 ＋ は' and '名詞 ＋ とは', and the meanings of them seem pretty close to each other.
Is there any difference in between that I should know? I would really appreciate any help.
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Answers · 3
1
Oops, I should have post my answer here, not at comment.
My pleasure! good luck with your Japanese!
0
Thank you very much! It is very helpful.
ありがとうございます！
0
'名詞 ＋ は' is simply 'noun = something'
'名詞 ＋ とは' is when we talk about the definition of the noun.
example with 牛乳（ぎゅうにゅう/gyuunyuu=milk from *specifically* a cow）
A)'名詞 ＋ は'
牛乳は白いです＝milk is white.
牛乳(ぎゅうにゅう/gyuunyuu=milk from *specifically* a cow) は(is) 白いです(しろいです/shiroidesu=white)
B)'名詞 ＋ とは'
牛乳とは牛の乳です＝milk is (the definition of) draw milk from a cow.
牛乳(ぎゅうにゅう/gyuunyuu=milk from *specifically* a cow) とは(is the definition of) 牛の(うしの/ushi no=cow's) 乳です(ちちです/chichi desu=milk)
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