What exactly does とはいえ mean?


I came across the structure `[V simple-past]とはいえ、、、、` and I can't figure out
exactly what it means.

I found this `いえ` is `言え`, and it means the same as `とは言うものの`... which I don't
really understand perfectly either, to be honest. As far as I can tell it
seems to mean "With that being said, X."

Am I close to the mark, or far off?




とはいえ＝といっても (approximately), meaning "although."

It's similar to 〜くあれ＝〜くても or ＡあれＢ＝ＡあってもＢ, in that it's a written-style usage
of the imperative that functions as a concessive. That is, it's conceding
something: although, though, even though, yet, however, etc.

春【はる】とはいえまだ寒【さむ】い。 = Although it's spring, it's still cold.

Keep in mind that this isn't 言【い】う in the sense of "he said ___," but more in
the broader sense of defining and describing a concept. As a general point,
while you're correct that いう is 言【い】う, the two spellings imply different
usage. Although it's not a _rule_ , generally 言【い】う will refer to an action,
like something directly spoken:

何度【なんど】も言【い】った。 = I've said it several times.

いう, on the other hand, generally used in phrases like という or こういう, has the
broader senses of defining, describing, quoting, emphasizing, etc. It implies
a grammatical function (like とはいえ):

日本【にほん】という国【くに】 = The country (called) Japan




とはいえ＝といっても (approximately), meaning "although."

It's similar to 〜くあれ＝〜くても or ＡあれＢ＝ＡあってもＢ, in that it's a written-style usage
of the imperative that functions as a concessive. That is, it's conceding
something: although, though, even though, yet, however, etc.

春【はる】とはいえまだ寒【さむ】い。 = Although it's spring, it's still cold.

Keep in mind that this isn't 言【い】う in the sense of "he said ___," but more in
the broader sense of defining and describing a concept. As a general point,
while you're correct that いう is 言【い】う, the two spellings imply different
usage. Although it's not a _rule_ , generally 言【い】う will refer to an action,
like something directly spoken:

何度【なんど】も言【い】った。 = I've said it several times.

いう, on the other hand, generally used in phrases like という or こういう, has the
broader senses of defining, describing, quoting, emphasizing, etc. It implies
a grammatical function (like とはいえ):

日本【にほん】という国【くに】 = The country (called) Japan

