麻薬をはじめ、あらゆる違法な取引を仕切っている。
まやく をはじめ、あらゆる いほう な とりひき を しきっている。
I’m handling all kinds of illegal deals, starting with drugs.
をはじめ is like the head honcho, the main dude, the big boss of a crew. You use it when you’re talkin’ about a group of things or people, but you wanna give a shout-out to the most important one, the one that kicks things off. It’s like sayin’, “Yeah, my whole squad is here, starting with my main man.” Or, “I got a bunch of enemies, starting with that cat Big Tony.” It lets people know who’s at the top of the food chain in that specific list.
1. 名詞 (meishi) + をはじめ (o hajime)
This one’s the main man. You drop this in the middle of a sentence to give an example that’s kinda like the head honcho of the group. It’s used when you’re tryna say somethin’ like, “He’s got a whole crew, and this one dude is the leader.” It’s a smooth way to introduce a list, but you don’t gotta list everything. It just points out the main cat and implies there’s a whole crew behind him.
- Example:
- LAを はじめ、NYやChicagoなど、たくさんの都市に行った。 (LA o hajime, NY ya Chicago nado, takusan no toshi ni itta.)
- “I went to a lot of cities, including LA, NY, and Chicago.”
2. 名詞 (meishi) + をはじめとして (o hajime to shite)
This is the more formal dude, like the boss who’s always suited up. It’s an adverbial phrase, meaning it’s messin’ with the verb. It’s a bit more polite and is used in a more structured kinda way, like in a report or when you’re speakin’ to the OGs. It emphasizes that the example you’re givin’ is the lead dog in a big pack.
- Example:
- 社長を はじめとして、多くの社員がパーティーに参加した。 (Shachō o hajime to shite, ouku no shain ga paatii ni sanka shita.)
- “Many employees, beginning with the president, participated in the party.”
3. 名詞 (meishi) + をはじめとする + 名詞 (meishi)
This one’s a straight-up adjective, a modifier. It’s used to describe another noun. Think of it like a tattoo on a dude’s arm; it’s part of his look. You put this before another noun to describe the whole group that the first noun is the leader of. It’s a bit more specific than the other two.
- Example:
- Jay-Zを はじめとする 有名ラッパーたち。 (Jay-Z o hajime to suru yuumei rappaa-tachi.)
- “Famous rappers, including Jay-Z.”
It’s a piece of cake, for real. You just attach 〜をはじめ right after the noun that’s the main subject, the head honcho of the group.
| Structure | Usage | Example |
| 名詞 (Noun) + をはじめ | This form is used when the noun is the subject of the sentence. It directly translates to “starting with [noun]” and introduces the main example. | 組織をはじめ、多くのギャングがこの街を支配している。 Many gangs, starting with my organization, control this city. |
| 名詞 (Noun) + をはじめとして | This form is a little more formal and emphasizes the idea of “[noun] serving as a starting point.” It’s often used in writing or more formal speech. | 警察署長をはじめとして、すべての警察官が俺たちの手下になった。 All the police officers, with the police chief as the starting point, became our henchmen. |
| 名詞 (Noun) + をはじめとする + 名詞 (Noun) | This form acts as a modifier. It directly precedes another noun, turning the whole phrase into an adjective clause that describes the second noun. It means “the [second noun] that includes [first noun] as a starting point.” | ボスをはじめとする幹部たちが、次の計画を立てた。 The executives, starting with the boss, came up with the next plan. |
Listen up, this ain’t no verb. It’s a phrase that acts like a partner to a noun. You just slap it on the end of the noun that’s the main dude in the group you talkin’ about. You got a list of people or things, you put 〜をはじめ after the most important one. It’s that simple. It’s like putting a spotlight on the top dog of the whole operation.
をはじめ is like the casual handshake. It’s used in the middle of a sentence. をはじめとして is the more formal nod, used when you’re gettin’ down to business. And をはじめとする is like rockin’ a crew jacket; it tells you exactly who the crew is by pointing out the leader. They all mean the same thing, but their positions in the sentence are what set them apart. You get it?
Here’s a little list of some street vocab you might hear.
犯罪組織 (はんざい そしき)
English: Organized crime syndicate; mob.
You see them corporations on Wall Street, right? All dressed up, makin’ money legally. Well, a 犯罪組織 is the same thing, but they play dirty. They ain’t got no business license for what they do. They got a whole hierarchy, bosses, underbosses, soldiers—they run a whole enterprise, but it’s all about that illicit hustle. Think the Corleones in The Godfather or the Barksdale crew in The Wire. They got the network, the cash, and the muscle to make sure their business stays on top.
強盗 (ごうとう)
English: Robber; burglar.
A 強盗 is a cat who ain’t askin’ politely. They comin’ through with a tool—a piece, a blade, somethin’ to make you hand over what’s yours. This ain’t no petty thief snatchin’ a wallet. This cat is lookin’ for a score, bustin’ into a bank or a jewelry spot, makin’ a big move. It’s about that violent hustle, gettin’ that payday by force. Think of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Heat. They ain’t playin’ games.
武器商人 (ぶき しょうにん)
English: Arms dealer.
You got your regular merchants sellin’ clothes and food, right? Well, a 武器商人 is a different kinda hustler. They the ones supplyin’ the goods to the streets, the iron, the choppers, the heavy artillery. They the middleman between the factory and the streets. They ain’t doin’ the dirty work themselves, but they the ones makin’ sure every crew is strapped up. They move in the shadows, makin’ a fortune off of conflict. Think of the dude from Lord of War, hustlin’ the firepower to whoever got the cash.
支配する (しはい する)
English: To control; to dominate.
To 支配する is to be the man on top. It’s not just bein’ in charge; it’s about havin’ that power where every single move is your call. You ain’t just makin’ decisions; you got your foot on everybody’s neck. A crew that 支配する the block ain’t got no competition. They run the game, the territory, the whole operation. It’s that top-tier status, where everyone knows who’s in control, and they ain’t about to challenge it.
連中 (れんちゅう)
English: Guys; crowd; bunch.
連中 is how you talk about a whole group of people. It could be your crew, your homies, or it could be them cats you got beef with. It’s a way of lumpin’ a whole bunch of dudes together without sayin’ their names one by one. Like, “Yo, those 連中 from the East Side are movin’ in on our territory.” It’s a general term, but depending on how you say it, it can be a term of respect for your people or a sign of disrespect for your rivals.
Peep this. Here’s 10 examples of how you can use this lingo, straight from the underworld.
ファミリーの幹部をはじめ、全員が今回の作戦に賛成している。
ファミリーのかんぶをはじめ、ぜんいんがこんかいのさくせんにさんせいしている。
All the family members, starting with the executives, have approved this operation.
俺たちはドンをはじめ、全員がこのビジネスを辞める気はない。
おれたちはドンをはじめ、ぜんいんがこのビジネスをやめるきはない。
We, starting with the Don, have no intention of quitting this business.
警察は俺たちの情報屋をはじめ、多くの協力者を捕まえた。
けいさつはおれたちのじょうほうやをはじめ、おおくのきょうりょくしゃをつかまえた。
The police caught many of our associates, starting with our informants.
今回の取引は、現地のギャングをはじめ、様々な組織が関わっている。
こんかいのとりひきは、げんちのギャングをはじめ、さまざまなそしきがかかわっている。
Various organizations are involved in this deal, starting with the local gangs.
俺のシマじゃ、ドラッグの売人をはじめ、誰もが俺のルールに従う。
おれのシマじゃ、ドラッグのばいにんをはじめ、だれもがおれのルールにしたがう。
In my territory, everyone, starting with the drug dealers, follows my rules.
この町は俺のファミリーをはじめ、いくつかの組織が支配している。
このまちはおれのファミリーをはじめ、いくつかのそしきがしはいしている。
This town is controlled by a few organizations, starting with my family.
武器商人をはじめ、怪しい連中がこのバーに集まる。
ぶきしょうにんをはじめ、あやしいれんちゅうがこのバーにあつまる。
Suspicious characters, starting with the arms dealers, gather at this bar.
この街には、ジョンをはじめとする危険なギャングがたくさんいる
このまちには、ジョンをはじめとするきけんなギャングがたくさんいる。
This city’s full of dangerous gangs, with John and his crew at the top.
ボスをはじめとして、犯罪組織のメンバー全員が逮捕された。
ボスをはじめとして、はんざいそしきのメンバーぜんいんがたいほされた。
Startin’ with the boss, every member of the crime family got locked up.
強盗をはじめとして、多くの犯罪がこの地区で発生している。
ごうとうをはじめとして、おおくのはんざいがこのちくではっせいしている。
Startin’ with robbery, a lot of crimes are goin’ down in this neighborhood.
Stay dangerous, my friend. Peace out.
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