というのは
to iu no wa
what is meant by; the thing called; because
[What is meant by / The thing called / (It's) because]
Connection: Noun / Phrase + というのは
Usage 1 — Definition: Used to define or explain a term or concept. Often followed by ~ことだ or ~という意味だ.
Usage 2 — Reason: Used to explain the reason for a previous statement. Similar to なぜなら.
Examples:
「花見」というのは、桜の花を見ながら楽しむことだ。(What "hanami" means is enjoying while viewing cherry blossoms.)
「もったいない」というのは、日本独特の言葉だ。("Mottainai" is a uniquely Japanese word.)
明日は休みたい。というのは、最近ずっと残業続きだからだ。(I want to take tomorrow off. That's because I've been working overtime continuously lately.)