Xとした usage and grammar?


I've looked over my books but I can't find the answer. All I know is that とする
can be used to express something you assume. Such as 温度は一定とする。 We assume the
temperate is constant. Also I read we can use it for feelings such as ほっとする
and look. So where can I read about this other usage? I have an example
meaning too.

Can anyone please be so kind and explain how this grammar works as used down
below.

> 周囲は暗く **鬱蒼{うっそう}とした** 林に覆われていて、周りには街灯も少ないから夜なんて真っ暗だ。




Let me break your **鬱蒼とした** into the parts of the speech.

**鬱蒼とした** is separated into **鬱蒼** ( to Japanese language learners this is
frequently called as **na-adjective** , but I would like to call it as
**[quasi-adjective ( adjective noun )](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quasi-
adjective)** , and here, it is used as the stem of the quasi-adjective = **A
noun that functions as an adjective.** ( Kindly be reminded there are many
disputes regarding how to deal with this as the na-adjective or if it is the
noun+auxiliary etc. ( For example, **[Motoki
Tokieda](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motoki_Tokieda)** is taking the latter
stance. Here I would like to the latter stance. ) **meaning, profuse, dense,
thick etc** , ) _**/**_ **と** , case-marking particle, followed by the
**[substantive, ( please see grammar
)](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/substantive)** , meaning **like, as if,
etc** ( Please refer to the further information below ) _**/**_ **し** (
連用形（れんようけい）,the continuative form ( **meaning, to be continued to such as
verbs, auxiliaries etc..** ) of the verb **する** , meaning, **do or be ( this
case )** _**/**_ **た** , 連体形,the attributive form ( meaning, **after this
follows a noun** , so in your sentence the noun **林** , forest ) of the
auxiliary た, which denotes here the continuation. )

So if you take not 鬱蒼とした, but 鬱蒼とした林, after the long and complicated Japanese
grammar above, it would stand as a subjective, meaning **" dense, thick, dark,
etc., forest".**

Now let's take a look at the **[case marking
particle](http://www2.dokkyo.ac.jp/%7Eesemi008/kenkyu/kumagai.html)**

From the source, 4,

> 山と積まれた乾草

meaning, 乾草, a noun, **meaning dried grasses or hay** ,

The translation will be

> the accumulated hay **like** a mountain.




Let me break your **鬱蒼とした** into the parts of the speech.

**鬱蒼とした** is separated into **鬱蒼** ( to Japanese language learners this is
frequently called as **na-adjective** , but I would like to call it as
**[quasi-adjective ( adjective noun )](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/quasi-
adjective)** , and here, it is used as the stem of the quasi-adjective = **A
noun that functions as an adjective.** ( Kindly be reminded there are many
disputes regarding how to deal with this as the na-adjective or if it is the
noun+auxiliary etc. ( For example, **[Motoki
Tokieda](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motoki_Tokieda)** is taking the latter
stance. Here I would like to the latter stance. ) **meaning, profuse, dense,
thick etc** , ) _**/**_ **と** , case-marking particle, followed by the
**[substantive, ( please see grammar
)](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/substantive)** , meaning **like, as if,
etc** ( Please refer to the further information below ) _**/**_ **し** (
連用形（れんようけい）,the continuative form ( **meaning, to be continued to such as
verbs, auxiliaries etc..** ) of the verb **する** , meaning, **do or be ( this
case )** _**/**_ **た** , 連体形,the attributive form ( meaning, **after this
follows a noun** , so in your sentence the noun **林** , forest ) of the
auxiliary た, which denotes here the continuation. )

So if you take not 鬱蒼とした, but 鬱蒼とした林, after the long and complicated Japanese
grammar above, it would stand as a subjective, meaning **" dense, thick, dark,
etc., forest".**

Now let's take a look at the **[case marking
particle](http://www2.dokkyo.ac.jp/%7Eesemi008/kenkyu/kumagai.html)**

From the source, 4,

> 山と積まれた乾草

meaning, 乾草, a noun, **meaning dried grasses or hay** ,

The translation will be

> the accumulated hay **like** a mountain.

