GRAMMAR DETAIL
〜と言っても過言ではない
Emphasizes that an assessment which may seem strong is not an exaggeration in light of the facts.
Examples
この発明が生活を変えたと言っても過言ではない。
It is no exaggeration to say that this invention changed our lives.
Words used
彼は皆に頼られる存在だと言っても過言ではない。
It is no exaggeration to say that everyone relies on him.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
と言っても過言ではないfollows an assessment and says that even such a strong statement is no exaggeration;過言is readかごん. - Basic usage:
この発明が生活を変えたと言っても過言ではない。endorses the strong assessment that the invention changed people's lives.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- What the negative actually rejects
過言ではないdenies that the statement is exaggerated. It therefore supports rather than retracts the preceding生活を変えた.
- Da inside a nominal statement
- In
頼られる存在だと言っても過言ではない, the quoted statement includes存在だ.だafter the noun存在and the following quotation markerとhave separate roles.
- In