つまり: meaning and usage

How to form it

• sentence+つまり+sentence
• noun+つまり+noun

How it is used

Restates or sums up what came before: 'in other words, that is'. Also used to check someone's meaning (「つまり、行けないということ？」). 「すなわち」 is more formal.

Examples

1. 今日は雨が降りました。つまり、マラソン大会は延期となります。

   It rained today. In other words, the marathon will be postponed.

2. 母の姉の娘、つまり私のいとこが来週結婚します。

   My mother's sister's daughter, in other words my cousin, is getting married next week.

3. つまり、今日の会議は中止ということですか。

   So you mean today's meeting is cancelled?