をはじめ(として) — Starting With
Introduces a prime, representative example and implies that many others of the same kind follow — 'starting with', 'including', or 'such as ... among others'. The first item named is the most notable or representative of the group. The form をはじめとする modifies a following noun.
Structure
[Noun] + をはじめ(として) ／ [Noun] + をはじめとする + [Noun]
Examples
この動物園にはパンダをはじめ、たくさんの動物がいる。
Kono doubutsuen ni wa panda o hajime, takusan no doubutsu ga iru.
This zoo has many animals, starting with pandas.
パンダ (panda) + をはじめ presents pandas as the representative example.
社長をはじめとして、社員全員が式に参加した。
Shachou o hajime to shite, shain zen'in ga shiki ni sanka shita.
Starting with the president, all the employees attended the ceremony.
社長 (president) + をはじめとして names the leading representative.
日本語をはじめとする多くの言語を学びたい。
Nihongo o hajime to suru ooku no gengo o manabitai.
I want to learn many languages, starting with Japanese.
をはじめとする modifies 言語 to mark Japanese as the foremost example.
• The named item is the most representative or important of the set, not just the first. • をはじめとする／とした is used to modify a noun. • Register: neutral to formal, common in written and spoken introductions.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones をはじめ(として) is tested against.
vs など
など loosely lists 'etc.' without ranking, while をはじめ singles out the most representative example that leads the group.
vs を中心に
を中心に means an activity revolves around a core, whereas をはじめ presents one leading item followed by many similar others.
More expressions
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