はさておき / はさておいて

The expression はさておき (or はさておいて) is used to set aside one topic in order to focus on something else that the speaker considers more important or more relevant. It comes from the verb さておく (to set aside / to put aside), combined with the topic marker は. It can be translated as "setting aside…", "apart from…", or "leaving … aside".

This pattern is typically attached to a noun (often followed by は), indicating the thing being deliberately put on hold.

Usage notes

• はさておき and はさておいて are interchangeable, though はさておき is slightly more concise and common in speech and writing. はさておいて is the full て-form and sounds a bit more explicit.
• The topic being set aside is usually something that could be debated, is complicated, or is simply not the speaker's priority at the moment. The speaker acknowledges the topic but intentionally redirects the conversation.
• A very common fixed expression is じょうだん冗談はさておき ("joking aside"), used to shift from a humorous remark to a serious point.

Comparison with はともかく

はさておき is similar to はともかく ("regardless of…" / "whether or not…"). However, はさておき more strongly implies deliberately postponing or shelving a topic, while はともかく can simply mean "regardless" without the nuance of intentional avoidance.