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言わば

so to speak, as it were

→ 言う
言わ say + ば Conditional (“if”)
verb · informal Rare #40,488
so to speak, as it were A set expression used to describe something figuratively or approximately.
JA: 彼は言わば家族のような人だ。
EN: He is, so to speak, like family to me.
Conjugation of 言う
Present
言う
Indicative imperfect
言ってた
Conditional past
言ったら言われたら
Desiderative past
言いたかった

この犬は言わばうちの家族の一員だ。

This dog is, so to speak, a member of our family.

彼は、言わば、水の外にいる魚のようなものだ。

He is, so to speak, like a fish out of water.

彼は私の最も親しい友人で、言わば兄弟だ。

He is my closest friend—practically a brother to me.

言わば複雑な罠ですよ

You could say it's a complicated trap.

— ストーカー (1979)