I have recently learned the word ともかく, which apparently means "anyway", but
searching for information on the internet, it is not very clear to me when
ともかく is used and when the word とにかく, which is the one I have always used so
far to say "anyway".

I am interested in learning ともかく and enriching my vocabulary a bit. Is there
some kind of key that lets me know when to use one word or another?

For instance,

If (.........)

Use ともかく

else

Use とにかく

What is the condition of the "If"? Also, could you please give me an example
sentence with ともかく (or some, if you please) to illustrate that?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-31T10:14:41.963
90987
2021-11-01T01:13:54.447
29677
question
grammar words
Use of ともかく instead of とにかく
Comparing
[とにかく](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E3%81%A8%E3%81%AB%E3%81%8B%E3%81%8F/#jn-159706)
and
[ともかく](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E3%81%A8%E3%82%82%E3%81%8B%E3%81%8F/#jn-160357),
they are mostly interchangeable (one is listed in the definition of the
other).

とにかく has the usage shared by なにしろ (meaning _above all, particularly_ or
practically _very (much)_ ):

> [用法]とにかく・[用法]なにしろ――
>

>> 「彼はとにかく（なにしろ）まじめな人だから」

>>

>> 「このごろ、とにかく（なにしろ）忙しくってね」

>
> のように、取り上げた事柄をまず強調しようとする意では相通じて用いられる。

This usage is only for とにかく (or at least ともかく should be much less common).
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-01T01:13:54.447
90997
2021-11-01T01:13:54.447
45489
90987
answer