Can you make an adverb from a noun by adding に?


I think I understand the pattern ...を adverb する e.g.

> 彼は彼女を幸せにする
>
> He makes her happy
>
> 部屋をきれいにしました
>
> I made my room tidy

I think I'm right in saying that the に in these sentences serves to turn the
な-adjective into an adverb.

I got confused when I saw this sentence:

> 箸{はし}を櫂{かい}にして川{かわ}を上って{のぼって}いきました

This translates as something like "He used chopsticks as oars and went up the
river" (not as weird as it sounds, in context). I don't really know how to
translate nounをnounにする. Can you please break it down for me and provide some
additional examples of this grammar?




I think you're actually asking about にする and not just に. に isn't a verb after
all.

It has a lot of uses, each probably worth a question of their own.

Here are some [definitions from
Jisho.org](http://jisho.org/search/%E3%81%AB%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B):

> AをBにする
>
>   1. to place, or raise, person A to a post or status B
>   2. to transform A to B; to make A into B; to exchange A for B
>   3. to make use of A for B; to view A as B; to handle A as if it were B
>   4. to feel A about B
>

For the first two sentences, I think in your case it's the second meaning of
_to transform_ or _make into_. Perhaps the third as well, but there the third
meaning of _to handle_ as or _make use of_ is better. But yes, it can be
attached to nouns and noun-forms.

It has so many particulars to it I don't think a single question or answer can
cover it. How and where it's placed, the tense of what it's attached to,
affects all of this. So it might be best to ask about a specific use.




I think you're actually asking about にする and not just に. に isn't a verb after
all.

It has a lot of uses, each probably worth a question of their own.

Here are some [definitions from
Jisho.org](http://jisho.org/search/%E3%81%AB%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B):

> AをBにする
>
>   1. to place, or raise, person A to a post or status B
>   2. to transform A to B; to make A into B; to exchange A for B
>   3. to make use of A for B; to view A as B; to handle A as if it were B
>   4. to feel A about B
>

For the first two sentences, I think in your case it's the second meaning of
_to transform_ or _make into_. Perhaps the third as well, but there the third
meaning of _to handle_ as or _make use of_ is better. But yes, it can be
attached to nouns and noun-forms.

It has so many particulars to it I don't think a single question or answer can
cover it. How and where it's placed, the tense of what it's attached to,
affects all of this. So it might be best to ask about a specific use.

