にかこつけて
🃏 Flashcard
にかこつけて
ni kako tsukete
Tap to reveal usage
to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse
N1
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N1
Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms
Reading
ni kako tsukete
Post ID
51305
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse
📖 How to use it
Uses a stated reason as a convenient excuse to do something else, often with a hidden motive.
Attaches to
Attach to a noun. Examples: 病気にかこつけて, 仕事にかこつけて.
This pattern means you take some situation or event and use it as a pretext to justify an action that may not be directly related. The person is not necessarily lying, but they are seizing on that reason to do what they want. It often carries a slight nuance of self-serving behavior or shifting blame away from one's own choice.
彼は仕事にかこつけて、毎晩遅く帰っている。
Kare wa shigoto ni kakotsukete, maiban osoku kaette iru.
He uses work as an excuse to come home late every night.
体調不良にかこつけて、会議を欠席した。
Taichou furyou ni kakotsukete, kaigi wo kesseki shita.
He skipped the meeting, using his poor health as a pretext.
彼女は留学にかこつけて、海外旅行を楽しんでいる。
Kanojo wa ryuugaku ni kakotsukete, kaigai ryokou wo tanoshinde iru.
She is enjoying traveling abroad under the pretext of studying overseas.
Not を口実に (o koujitsu ni)
These are very close in meaning and often interchangeable. The difference is subtle: にかこつけて implies using a situation that naturally occurs or exists, while を口実に can be a more deliberate, sometimes fabricated excuse. Also, にかこつけて tends to be used in written or formal speech.
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This is a formal, written expression typical of news reports, essays, and official statements. In casual conversation, you would more likely use を口実に or という言い訳で.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
にかこつけて
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat にかこつけて three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using にかこつけて. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern にかこつけて mean?
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To use as a pretext; to use as an excuse
What JLPT level is にかこつけて?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use にかこつけて in a sentence?
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Attach にかこつけて (ni kako tsukete) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is にかこつけて formal or casual Japanese?
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にかこつけて is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember にかこつけて long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.