～といえども

• Reading: といえども
• Romaji: to iedomo
• Formation: Noun + といえども / Sentence (plain form) + といえども

Meaning

A formal conjunctive expression meaning 'even though' or 'even if it is said that.' It concedes a status, reputation, or fact while asserting that the expected result does not follow.

といえども is a literary and formal concessive that combines the quotative と with the classical concessive form of 言う (いえども). It acknowledges a status, reputation, or established fact but then presents a contrasting reality. Compared to ても or としても, it carries significantly more weight and formality. It is commonly used in essays, speeches, and formal writing, often following nouns of status or authority such as 専門家といえども (even an expert). Learners sometimes confuse it with the similar but less formal とはいえ, which is more common in modern spoken Japanese. といえども tends to appear in principled or categorical statements where the concession applies universally.

Examples

1. いかなる理由があるといえども暴力は許されない。 No matter what reason there may be, violence is not to be tolerated.
2. 専門家といえども全ての分野に精通しているわけではない。 Even an expert is not well-versed in every field.
3. 法律で認められているといえども道義的に問題がある。 Even though it is permitted by law, there are ethical problems.

Usage Guide

Context: written, speeches, essays

Tone: principled

Do Say

• 親といえども子供の人生を決める権利はない。
• 経験豊富な医師といえども誤診をすることはある。
• 大企業といえども時代の変化に対応できなければ衰退する。

Don't Say

• 専門家といえどもが全ての分野に精通しているわけではない。(Adding が after といえども — といえども already contains the concessive meaning and does not need が) → 専門家といえども全ての分野に精通しているわけではない。
• 専門家とはいえども全ての分野に精通しているわけではない。(Mixing とはいえ and といえども — these are separate expressions and should not be combined) → 専門家といえども全ての分野に精通しているわけではない。

Origin & History

Combines the quotative particle と with いえども, the classical concessive form of the verb 言う. In classical Japanese, ども was a concessive ending; いえども literally means 'even if one says' and survives as a fixed formal conjunction.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal