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Formation: Plain form (N / な-adj, with or without だ) + とはいえ; also sentence-initial とはいえ

The speaker first accepts X as a fact and then says something that does not match what you would expect from X: 'X may be true, but still…' The second half is often the speaker's own judgment or a qualification, for example that something is still a problem or still not enough. It is fairly formal. It is common in writing and in careful speech, and at the start of a sentence it works like 'that said'. 〜といえども is stiffer and often stresses that even someone or something of high standing is not an exception. 〜といっても (N2) mainly corrects an impression ('I said X, but it's only…'), and 〜ものの is a more neutral 'although'.

Variants: とはいえ（sentence-initial）、〜とはいうものの

Examples

• 春とはいえ、朝晩はまだ冷え込む。
  It may be spring, but mornings and evenings are still chilly.
• 景気は回復しつつあるとはいえ、地方への恩恵は限られている。
  Although the economy is recovering, the benefits to the regions remain limited.
• 自分で決めたこととはいえ、やはり迷いはある。
  It was my own decision, but I still have doubts.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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