JLPT N1 grammar
〜をおいて(他に)ない — Meaning & Examples
"There is no other than X" — formal high praise. 彼をおいて他にいない = there's no one but him.
〜をおいて(他に)ない — "There Is No Other Than X"
をおいて(他に)ない is a formal way of saying "nobody/nothing else could possibly fill this role" — genuinely high praise.
Pattern: [noun] + をおいて(他に)ない
この仕事を任せられるのは彼をおいて他にいない。
= There's no one but him who can be entrusted with this job.
この街の魅力を語るなら、この祭りをおいて他にない。
= If we're talking about this city's charm, there's nothing quite like this festival.
次期リーダーとして彼女をおいて他に適任者はいない。
= As the next leader, there is no one more suited than her.
Register: Formal praise/endorsement — speeches, recommendations, tributes.
Key feeling: Scanning every possible alternative and concluding: nothing else even comes close.
Practise 〜をおいて(他に)ない in the free app
This point is part of the “Limits & Restriction — をおいて他にない・にたえない・にかたくない・までもない” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: Limits & Restriction — をおいて他にない・にたえない・にかたくない・までもない
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜をおいて(他に)ない mean?
"There is no other than X" — formal high praise. 彼をおいて他にいない = there's no one but him.
Is 〜をおいて(他に)ない on the JLPT N1 test?
〜をおいて(他に)ない is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Limits & Restriction — をおいて他にない・にたえない・にかたくない・までもない”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜をおいて(他に)ない?
Open the “Limits & Restriction — をおいて他にない・にたえない・にかたくない・までもない” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.