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N3

といえば

Speaking of, If it were the case that

夏なつと言いえばスイカバーでしょ!

When it comes to summer, it's got to be a Suika Bar!

Explanation

「といえば」 has 3 uses

1Speaking of X, it's Y

Names the typical example that comes to mind: 「日本の山といえば富士山だ」.

「夏休なつやすみ、海うみに行いきたいわ。」「夏なつといえばかき氷ごおりだよね。」

'I want to go to the beach during summer vacation.' 'Speaking of summer, shaved ice!'

夏なつと言いえばスイカバーでしょ!

When it comes to summer, it's got to be a Suika Bar!

2That reminds me

Picks up a word the other person just used and brings up something related: 「田中さんといえば、昨日駅で会いましたよ」.

タナカさんというと、先月せんげつ銀行ぎんこう強盗ごうとうで捕つかまった人ひとですよね。

Speaking of Tanaka-san, he is the person that got arrested for robbing a bank last month, right?

「コーヒーがほしい!」「コーヒーといえば、新あたらしい喫茶店きっさてんが開店かいてんした。じゃあ、一緒いっしょに喫茶店きっさてんに行いこうか?」

'I want coffee.' 'Speaking of coffee, a new coffee shop just opened. Wanna go?'

3It is…, but

「AといえばAだが」: admits it is A, but there's another side: 「高いといえば高いが、質は良い」.

駅えきから遠とおいといえば遠とおいが、静しずかでいい部屋へやだ。

It is far from the station, I suppose, but it's a nice quiet room.

疲つかれたといえば疲つかれたけど、楽たのしい旅行りょこうだった。

I'm tired, I guess, but it was a fun trip.

Mixed up with

「というと」 draws a conclusion from or checks what the other said: 「来週休み?というと旅行ですか」 (You're off next week? So you're traveling?).

「といったら」 is followed by surprise or praise at an extreme degree: 「その美しさといったら、言葉にできない」 (As for its beauty, words can't describe it).

「といえば」 is about association and works in speech and writing.

Examples

1Speaking of X, it's Y

  1. 「夏休なつやすみ、海うみに行いきたいわ。」「夏なつといえばかき氷ごおりだよね。」

    'I want to go to the beach during summer vacation.' 'Speaking of summer, shaved ice!'

  2. ラーメン?日本にほんと言いったら寿司すしの方ほうが人気にんきでしょう。

    Ramen? If it's Japan (we're talking about), sushi is more popular, isn't it?

2That reminds me

  1. タナカさんというと、先月せんげつ銀行ぎんこう強盗ごうとうで捕つかまった人ひとですよね。

    Speaking of Tanaka-san, he is the person that got arrested for robbing a bank last month, right?

  2. キクチ君くんといえば、幾いくつなんだろう?

    Speaking of Kikuchi-kun, I wonder how old he is.

3It is…, but

  1. 駅えきから遠とおいといえば遠とおいが、静しずかでいい部屋へやだ。

    It is far from the station, I suppose, but it's a nice quiet room.

  2. 疲つかれたといえば疲つかれたけど、楽たのしい旅行りょこうだった。

    I'm tired, I guess, but it was a fun trip.

Tested 2 times in past papers

N2 · Dec 2015, Q48N2 · Jul 2013, Q45