to take advantage of ~ (をいいことに) – Japanese Grammar をいいことに (o ii koto ni)

Q: What JLPT level is をいいことに?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use をいいことに in a sentence?

Attach をいいことに to the appropriate verb or noun form. To take advantage of ~

Q: Is をいいことに formal or casual Japanese?

をいいことに is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

をいいことに

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

o ii koto ni

to take advantage of ~

いかなる ikanaru を踏まえて o fumaete もさることながら mo saru koto nagara にあって ni atte には無理がある ni wa muri ga aru といえども to ie domo そばから soba kara なり〜なり nari~nari たるもの / たる taru mono / taru とばかりに to bakari ni といわず〜といわず to iwazu~to iwazu とて tote なりとも nari tomo までだ / までのことだ made da/no koto da に難くない ni katakunai うちに入らない uchi ni hairanai とみると to miru to 放題 houdai まみれ mamire なりに / なりの nari ni / nari no いかなる ikanaru を踏まえて o fumaete もさることながら mo saru koto nagara にあって ni atte には無理がある ni wa muri ga aru といえども to ie domo そばから soba kara なり〜なり nari~nari たるもの / たる taru mono / taru とばかりに to bakari ni といわず〜といわず to iwazu~to iwazu とて tote なりとも nari tomo までだ / までのことだ made da/no koto da に難くない ni katakunai うちに入らない uchi ni hairanai とみると to miru to 放題 houdai まみれ mamire なりに / なりの nari ni / nari no

🃏 Flashcard

をいいことに

o ii koto ni

Tap to reveal usage

to take advantage of ~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading o ii koto ni

Post ID 51335

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

to take advantage of ~

📖 How to use it

This pattern expresses taking advantage of a situation or condition to do something, often with a negative connotation.

Attaches to Attach to a noun directly, or to a clause (plain form, including non-past) followed by の, then add をいいことに.

をいいことに means "taking advantage of ~" and is used when someone exploits a certain state or event for their own benefit, often in a way that is selfish or inconsiderate. The pattern highlights that the person is using the situation as an excuse or opportunity. It is frequently used in negative contexts, like 'being away from home, he takes advantage of it to skip chores.'

Grammatically, the preceding part is a noun or a clause nominalized with の. The verb that follows typically describes the action taken advantage of the situation. The pattern is somewhat formal and more common in writing or formal speech, though it can be used in spoken Japanese for emphasis.

A nuance to note: the action taken is often something the person would not normally do if the situation were different, and it often implies a judgment on the speaker's part.

彼は親がいないのをいいことに、毎晩遅くまで遊んでいる。

Kare wa oya ga inai no o ii koto ni, maiban osoku made asonde iru.

He takes advantage of his parents being away to stay out late every night.

上司が出張中なのをいいことに、仕事をサボっている。

Joushi ga shucchou-chuu na no o ii koto ni, shigoto o sabotteru.

Taking advantage of the boss being on a business trip, he's slacking off at work.

彼女は自分の日本語が下手なのをいいことに、いつも私に通訳を頼む。

Kanojo wa jibun no nihongo ga heta na no o ii koto ni, itsumo watashi ni tsuuyaku o tanomu.

Making the most of her poor Japanese, she always asks me to interpret for her.

Not をいいことに vs. を利用して (riyou shite) を利用して is neutral and simply means 'using something as a means,' while をいいことに specifically implies exploiting a situation for one's own benefit, often with a negative nuance.

Register This pattern is formal and often used in writing or narrative contexts, but it can appear in spoken Japanese for emphasis.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

をいいことに

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat をいいことに three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using をいいことに. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns

← Previous

を控えて

to be soon; the time has come to ~

を顧みず / も顧みず

despite; regardless of ~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern をいいことに mean? ▼

To take advantage of ~

What JLPT level is をいいことに? ▼

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 をいいことに in a sentence? ▼

Attach をいいことに (o ii koto ni) 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 をいいことに formal or casual Japanese? ▼

をいいことに 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 をいいことに long-term? ▼

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.