Stance, Contrast & More — にひきかえ/ともあろう/たる（もの）/ではあるまいし/と相まって/に則って
This is the last N1 grammar lesson, a set of patterns that don't fit neatly into one group but come up often on the test. 「にひきかえ」 sets two opposite things side by side, with the speaker's approval or disapproval; 「ともあろう」 and 「たる（もの）」 are both about status and position — the first criticises someone of standing for doing something unworthy of it, the second says "anyone in that position ought to…"; 「ではあるまいし」 means "it's not as if…, so…", used to advise or scold, and despite its old-fashioned form it belongs mostly to speech; 「と相まって」 means two factors work together and add to each other's effect; and 「に則って」 means acting in accordance with a law, rule or tradition. The first four turn on the speaker's judgment; the last two are written expressions from news and official documents.
Vocabulary
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 気配り | きくばり | n, suru-verb thoughtfulness; attentivenessnoticing what others need and looking after it気配りができる to be considerate細やかな気配り attentive care in every detail |
| 過疎化 | かそか | n, suru-verb depopulationof rural or mountain areas losing their people; opposite: 過密過疎化が進む depopulation worsens過疎化した村 a depopulated village |
| 歯止め | はどめ | n a brake; a checksomething that stops a situation getting worse歯止めがかからない there's no stopping it歯止めをかける to put a brake on |
| 盗用 | とうよう | n, suru-verb unauthorized use; plagiarismof someone else's work, idea or name論文の盗用 plagiarism of a paperデザインを盗用する to steal a design |
| 軽率 | けいそつ | n, na-adj rash; careless; thoughtlessspeaking or acting without thinking it through軽率な発言 a careless remark軽率に判断する to judge hastily |
| ずさん | ずさん | na-adj sloppy; slapdash; full of holesof work or management done carelessly; written 杜撰 in kanji but usually in kanaずさんな管理 sloppy managementずさんな計画 a half-baked plan |
| 怠る | おこたる | v, trans. to neglect; to fail to do (what one should)formal注意を怠る to be careless確認を怠る to fail to check |
| 振る舞い | ふるまい | n behaviour; conducthow one acts in front of others, usually with a judgment attached堂々とした振る舞い confident, dignified conduct身勝手な振る舞い selfish behaviour |
| 人出 | ひとで | n crowds; turnoutthe number of people out at a place on a holiday or for an event; not to be confused with 人手 (manpower)大変な人出 huge crowds人出が多い it's crowded |
| 高騰 | こうとう | n, suru-verb a sharp rise; soaring (of prices)opposite: 下落, 急落価格が高騰する prices soar地価の高騰 soaring land prices |
| たゆまぬ | たゆまぬ | pre-noun adj unflagging; untiringonly before a noun, almost always with 努力たゆまぬ努力 tireless effort |
| 開花 | かいか | n, suru-verb blooming; (of talent or effort) coming to fruition才能が開花する one's talent blossoms桜の開花 the cherry blossoms opening |
| 厳正 | げんせい | n, na-adj strict and fair; rigorousin official contexts such as discipline or screening厳正に対処する to deal with it strictly厳正な審査 a rigorous, impartial review |
| 執り行う | とりおこなう | v, trans. to hold; to conduct (a ceremony)more formal than 行う, for ceremonies, rites and funerals式典を執り行う to hold a ceremony葬儀を執り行う to conduct a funeral |
| 厳か | おごそか | na-adj solemn; dignifiedof ceremonies or atmosphere厳かな雰囲気 a solemn atmosphere厳かに執り行われる to be solemnly held |
| 正々堂々 | せいせいどうどう | na-adj, adv fair and square; openly and honestlywithout tricks正々堂々と戦う to compete fair and square正々堂々とした態度 an open, honest attitude |
| 法令 | ほうれい | n laws and regulationsa general term for statutes, cabinet orders, ordinances and so on関係法令 the relevant laws and regulations法令を遵守する to comply with the law |
1. 〜にひきかえ ~ni hikikae (In contrast to… / Unlike…)
Conjugation
- Noun + にひきかえ
- Plain form + の + にひきかえ (na-adjectives and nouns: 〜な／〜である + のにひきかえ)
- At the start of a sentence: 「それにひきかえ、〜」 ("by contrast, …")
※ Also written 「に引き換え」. Don't confuse it with 「〜と引き換えに」 ("in exchange for"): 「代金と引き換えに商品を渡す」 (to hand over the goods on payment).
Meaning
"In contrast to…" or "unlike…". It sets two opposite things side by side to bring out how different the second one is. The speaker's opinion is clearly there — usually dissatisfaction with or criticism of one side, or praise of the other.
Restrictions:
- The two things compared are of the same kind and opposite in nature (a hard-working older brother vs a lazy younger one; last summer's heat vs this summer's cool).
- It carries a subjective judgment, so it isn't used for neutral comparisons of figures: △ 「東京の人口にひきかえ、大阪の人口は少ない」 (for a plain comparison of numbers use 「に比べて」).
- It isn't used when the difference is only a matter of degree, not a real contrast: △ 「兄にひきかえ、弟は少し背が高い」.
- It describes things as they are; the main clause can't be a volition, command or request.
Example Sentences
- 真面目な兄にひきかえ、弟は遊んでばかりいる。(Unlike his conscientious older brother, the younger one does nothing but play.)
- 記録的な猛暑だった昨年にひきかえ、今年の夏は比較的涼しく過ごしやすい。(In contrast to last year's record heat, this summer has been fairly cool and pleasant.)
- 前の課長が細やかな気配りのできる人だったのにひきかえ、今度の課長は部下の話をろくに聞こうともしない。(Our old section chief was attentive to everyone's needs; the new one, by contrast, barely even tries to listen to his staff.)
- 都市部の人口が増え続けているのにひきかえ、地方では過疎化に歯止めがかからない。(While the cities keep growing, the countryside's depopulation shows no sign of stopping.)
- 隣の息子さんは毎朝きちんと挨拶してくれる。それにひきかえ、うちの子は返事もろくにしない。(The boy next door greets me properly every morning. Mine, by contrast, barely even answers when spoken to.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| にひきかえ | in contrast to… (with a judgment) | The two are opposite; the speaker clearly takes a view |
| に比べて | compared with… | A neutral comparison; can be just a difference of degree (N3 Lesson 50) |
| に対して | whereas… | Points out a contrast objectively; common with data and facts (N3 Lesson 35) |
| に反して | contrary to (expectations) | Contrasts an expectation with the outcome, not two things (N2 Lesson 66) |
「兄に比べて、弟は背が高い」⭕ (a neutral comparison of height)
「兄にひきかえ、弟は背が高い」△ (height isn't a contrast worth judging)
「男性の平均寿命が81歳であるのに対して、女性は87歳だ」⭕ (objective figures) → with 「にひきかえ」 it sounds odd.
「予想に反して、試験は簡単だった」 (contrary to expectations) — 「にひきかえ」 doesn't follow words like 「予想」 or 「期待」.
On the test, if the two sides are two people or two periods and the main clause is a criticism or a remark of feeling, choose 「にひきかえ」.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
2. 〜ともあろう者が ~tomo a rousha ga (For someone who is a… to… / Of all people…)
Conjugation
- Noun + ともあろう + 者／人／方 + が
- Noun + ともあろう + もの + が (when the subject is an institution or organisation)
- Noun + ともあろう + noun (as a modifier: 「大臣ともあろう人物の発言」)
※ The noun is a role with status, respect or responsibility: 教師, 医師, 警察官, 裁判官, 大学教授, 首相, a major company…
Meaning
"For someone who is a… to…" or "of all people…". Someone in position A should set an example, but has done something unworthy of it; the speaker is surprised, disappointed and critical.
Restrictions:
- The main clause must be bad behaviour unworthy of the role; sentences often end in 「〜とは」, 「〜なんて」, 「信じられない」, 「あきれる」 or 「〜べきではない」.
- Not for positive or neutral things: ❌ 「大臣ともあろう人が、毎日熱心に働いている」.
- Normally about others; 「私ともあろう者が」 about yourself is self-mocking or jokey, △.
- It reacts to a specific thing that actually happened (unlike 「たるもの」).
Example Sentences
- 警察官ともあろう者が、飲酒運転で事故を起こすとは信じがたい。(It's hard to believe that a police officer, of all people, caused an accident while drink-driving.)
- 大学教授ともあろう人が、学生の論文を盗用していたとは驚きだ。(It's astonishing that a university professor plagiarised a student's paper.)
- 一国の首相ともあろう方が、そのような軽率な発言をなさるとは残念でならない。(It is deeply regrettable that a nation's prime minister should make such a careless remark.)
- 国の機密を扱う省庁ともあろうものが、重要書類をこれほどずさんに管理していたとは。(To think that a ministry handling state secrets kept important documents so sloppily!)
- 医師ともあろう者が、患者の個人情報をSNSに書き込むなど、あってはならないことだ。(For a doctor to post a patient's personal information on social media is simply unacceptable.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| ともあろう者が | for a… (of all people) to… | Someone of standing does something unworthy; criticism only |
| にしては | for a… (unexpectedly) | Falls short of or exceeds the usual standard; good or bad, any noun (N3 Lesson 47) |
| ともなると | once you're at the level of… | A general tendency; no criticism (Lesson 81) |
「プロの選手ともあろう者が、試合中に審判を殴るとは」⭕ (criticism)
「プロの選手にしては、動きが遅い」⭕ (slow, by a pro's standard — not an attack on their status)
「プロの選手ともなると、毎日の練習量が違う」⭕ (a general fact: at the professional level, the daily training is on another scale)
The test clue: a main clause about something they shouldn't have done, plus surprise or criticism → ともあろう.
✍ Practice this point (4 questions)
3. 〜たるもの/〜たる ~taru mono / ~taru (Anyone who is a… should… / Being a…)
Conjugation
- Noun + たるもの（は）、〜べきだ／なければならない／てはならない
- Noun + たる者（は）、〜
- Noun A + たる + noun B (= B that is A: 「一国の代表たる人物」)
※ 「たる」 is the attributive form of the classical copula 「たり」, equal to 「である」. 「〜たるにふさわしい」 ("worthy of being a…") is also common. Note: the 「たる」 in 「堂々たる」 or 「確固たる」 is an adjective ending and has nothing to do with this pattern.
Meaning
"Anyone who is a… should…" or "as a…". 「AたるものB」 says that anyone holding role A is naturally expected to do B. It states the norms or ideals of a role, in a weighty, somewhat preachy tone.
Restrictions:
- A is a role or profession with some standing or responsibility, never a specific person's name: ❌ 「田中さんたるもの」.
- It states a general norm, not a particular event: ❌ 「教師たるものが、昨日生徒を叩いた」 (to criticise a specific act use 「ともあろう者が」).
- The main clause is usually 「べきだ」, 「なければならない」, 「てはならない」, 「ものだ」 or an evaluative statement.
- With a lowly or negative role it's only a joke: △ 「泥棒たるもの、逃げ足が速くなくては」.
Example Sentences
- 報道機関たるもの、事実確認を怠ってはならない。(A news organisation must never neglect to check its facts.)
- 政治家たるもの、自らの発言には最後まで責任を持つべきだ。(Anyone who is a politician should take full responsibility for what they say.)
- 指導者たる者、部下の失敗の責任は自ら負わなければならない。(One who leads must personally take responsibility for the failures of those under them.)
- 彼の振る舞いは、一国の代表たる人物にふさわしいものではなかった。(His conduct was not fitting for someone representing a nation.)
- プロたるもの、体調管理も仕事のうちだ。(For a professional, looking after your health is part of the job.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| たるもの | anyone who is a… should… | The norms of a role, as a general statement; usually 「べきだ」 after it |
| ともあろう者が | for a… of all people to… | Criticises a specific act unworthy of the role |
| として | as a… | Neutrally states a role or capacity; no sense of "should" (N3 Lesson 47) |
「教師たるもの、生徒に手を上げてはならない」 (a general norm: a teacher must never hit a student)
「教師ともあろう者が、生徒に手を上げるとは」 (a specific incident: that a teacher, of all people, hit a student!)
「教師として、生徒の成長を見守りたい」 (neutral: as a teacher, I want to watch my students grow)
The same noun fits all three, so the test hinges on the main clause: a norm or duty → たるもの; surprise or criticism at what happened → ともあろう; just stating a role → として.
✍ Practice this point (4 questions)
4. 〜ではあるまいし/〜じゃあるまいし ~dewa aru mai shi / ~ja aru mai shi (It's not as if… / You're not a…)
Conjugation
- Noun + ではあるまいし／じゃあるまいし
- Verb plain form + わけではあるまいし／わけじゃあるまいし
- Verb plain form + のではあるまいし／んじゃあるまいし
※ 「まい」 is the negative conjecture (N2 Lesson 72); 「あるまいし」 is literally "it can hardly be…, and so…". The form is old, but in practice it lives in speech, and 「じゃあるまいし」 is the most common.
Meaning
"It's not as if…, so…" or "you're not a…, so…". The speaker names something obviously untrue (A), then uses it to back up a judgment, piece of advice or rebuke: since it isn't A, there's no need to… / you should….
Restrictions:
- A is something plainly not the case (a child, a god, a final farewell, dying…), often exaggerated.
- The main clause is the speaker's own stance: advice, an order, a prohibition, criticism or a judgment (「〜なさい」, 「〜な」, 「〜ことはない」, 「〜なくてもいい」, 「〜でしょう」).
- Not for neutral narration: ❌ 「子どもじゃあるまいし、彼は一人で旅行した」 (the main clause states no view).
- It's casual and can sound impatient; generally not used to superiors or in formal writing (common in dialogue in fiction and essays).
Example Sentences
- 子どもじゃあるまいし、一人で病院くらい行けるでしょう。(You're not a child — surely you can go to the hospital on your own.)
- 神様ではあるまいし、明日のことなんて誰にも分からないよ。(We're not gods. Nobody can know what tomorrow will bring.)
- 一生会えなくなるわけじゃあるまいし、そんなに泣かなくてもいいじゃないか。(It's not as if we'll never see each other again — there's no need to cry like that.)
- 新人じゃあるまいし、こんな基本的なことを今さら聞かないでくれ。(You're not a new hire. Don't ask me something this basic at this stage.)
- 死ぬわけではあるまいし、一度の失敗くらいでそこまで落ち込むことはない。(It's not as if it's the end of the world. There's no need to get so down over one failure.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| ではあるまいし | it's not as if… (so…) | A is untrue; used to advise or scold |
| くせに | even though… | A is true; scolds someone for behaving at odds with it (N3 Lesson 38) |
| わけではないのだから | it's not as if… (so) | Close in meaning but neutral, and fine in writing |
「子どもじゃあるまいし、自分でやりなさい」 (you're not a child — the listener is not a child)
「子どものくせに、生意気を言うな」 (you're only a child, so don't be cheeky — the listener is a child)
Both scold, but whether A is true is exactly reversed.
On the test, if the main clause is 「〜ことはない」, 「〜なさい」 or 「〜な」 and what comes before is an exaggerated label like "a child", "a god" or "a new hire", choose 「じゃあるまいし」.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
5. 〜と相まって ~to aimatte (Combined with… / Coupled with…)
Conjugation
- Noun B + と相まって (AはBと相まって、〜)
- Noun A + と + noun B + が相まって
- Noun A + に + noun B + も相まって
※ 「相まって」 is the te-form of 「相まつ」, also written 「相俟って」. 「〜も相まって」 is especially common in the news.
Meaning
"Combined with…" or "coupled with…". Two factors work together and add to each other's effect, producing a bigger result. The result can be good or bad.
Restrictions:
- What combines are things, conditions or qualities (weather, prices, talent, effort, atmosphere…), not people acting: ❌ 「田中さんと相まって、鈴木さんがプロジェクトを成功させた」.
- The main clause is the resulting outcome, state or effect, not a volition or command: ❌ 「好天と相まって、ハイキングに行こう」.
- Written style, typical of news, commentary and reviews.
Example Sentences
- 三連休と好天が相まって、各地の行楽地は多くの人出でにぎわった。(With a three-day weekend and fine weather combined, holiday spots everywhere were packed with people.)
- 彼女の透き通るような歌声は、美しい映像と相まって、観客を深い感動に包んだ。(Her crystal-clear voice, combined with the beautiful visuals, moved the audience deeply.)
- 原材料価格の高騰に円安も相まって、食品の値上げが相次いでいる。(Soaring raw material costs, compounded by the weak yen, have led to one food price rise after another.)
- 恵まれた環境と本人のたゆまぬ努力とが相まって、彼の才能は大きく開花した。(A fortunate environment together with his own tireless effort allowed his talent to blossom fully.)
- 寝不足に緊張も相まって、本番では思うように声が出なかった。(Lack of sleep, made worse by nerves, meant I couldn't sing the way I wanted on the night.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| と相まって | combined with… (effects reinforcing) | Two factors interact to produce a bigger result |
| に加えて | in addition to… | Simple addition; no stress on interaction (N2 Lesson 69) |
| とともに | together with… / as… | Happening at the same time or changing in step (N3 Lesson 46) |
「雨に加えて風も強くなってきた」 (simple addition: on top of the rain, the wind picked up)
「雨と強風が相まって、交通が大きく乱れた」 (the two together caused major travel disruption)
The main clause after 「と相まって」 is always a result, so on the test it tends to pair with 「〜となった」, 「〜を生んだ」, 「〜が相次いでいる」 and the like.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
6. 〜に則って/〜に則り ~ni nottotte / ~ni nottori (In accordance with… / Following…)
Conjugation
- Noun + に則って／に則り
- Noun + に則った + noun
※ 「則る」 is read 「のっとる」, the same as 「乗っ取る」 (to hijack, take over). Written style, common in official documents, news and formal speeches.
Meaning
"In accordance with…" or "following…". Doing something with an established norm — a law, rule, tradition or custom — as the standard.
Restrictions:
- A is a written or recognised norm: 法律, 法令, 規則, ルール, 伝統, 古式, 慣例, 作法, 手続き, 原則, 精神.
- Not for one person's instructions or an ad-hoc plan: △ 「部長の指示に則って」 (for obeying instructions use 「に従って」); ❌ 「天気予報に則って傘を持っていく」.
- Not for following a physical line: ❌ 「川に則って歩く」 (use 「に沿って」).
- Formal; for everyday matters use 「に従って」 or 「どおりに」.
Example Sentences
- 本件については、社内規定に則って厳正に対処いたします。(We will deal with this matter strictly, in accordance with company regulations.)
- 式典は古式に則り、厳かに執り行われた。(The ceremony was solemnly conducted according to ancient custom.)
- 我々選手一同は、スポーツマンシップに則り、正々堂々と戦うことを誓います。(We, the athletes, swear to compete fair and square, in the spirit of sportsmanship.)
- 法に則った手続きを踏まなければ、契約が無効になるおそれがある。(If the proper legal procedures aren't followed, the contract may be void.)
- お客様の個人情報は、関係法令に則って適切に管理しております。(We manage our customers' personal information appropriately, in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.)
Comparison
| Expression | What it follows | Example |
|---|---|---|
| に則って | a norm — law, rules, tradition (conforming to it) | 法律に則って, 古式に則り |
| に基づいて | grounds — data, facts, experience (building on it) | 調査結果に基づいて (N3 Lesson 36) |
| に沿って | a policy, plan or wish, or a road or river (going along it) | ご要望に沿って, 川に沿って (N2 Lesson 69) |
| に従って | instructions, orders, signs (obeying) | 指示に従って (N2 Lesson 66) |
| に即して | the actual situation, reality (fitting it) | 実態に即して (Lesson 83) |
「調査結果に則って」❌ → 「調査結果に基づいて」⭕ (data is grounds, not a norm)
「先生の指示に則って」△ → 「先生の指示に従って」⭕ (one person's instructions take 「に従って」)
Both 「ルールに則って」 and 「ルールに従って」 work; 「に則って」 is more formal.
The N1 test often puts several of these in one question — look at whether the noun before it is a norm, grounds, a policy, an order or reality.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
Practice
Part 1: Choose the appropriate grammar (にひきかえ / ともあろう / たるもの / じゃあるまいし / 相まって / に則って / に基づいて / くせに)
- 几帳面な姉（ ）、妹は何事にも大雑把だ。
- 弁護士（ ）者が、依頼人から預かった金を使い込んでいたとは。
- 社会人（ ）、約束の時間を守るのは当然のことだ。
- 一生の別れ（ ）、わざわざ空港まで見送りに来なくてもいいよ。
- 見頃の紅葉と晴天が（ ）、山は大勢の登山客でにぎわった。
- 両国は国際法（ ）、紛争を話し合いで解決すべきだ。
- アンケートの結果（ ）、来年度の販売戦略を立てた。
- 自分は何もしない（ ）、彼は人のやり方にばかり文句を言う。
Part 2: Translate into Japanese
- In contrast to last year's lively festival, this year's was deserted. (Use にひきかえ)
- It's unbelievable that a teacher, of all people, leaked the exam questions to students in advance. (Use ともあろう)
- Anyone who runs a business must take responsibility for their own decisions. (Use たるもの)
- You're not a child — don't cry over something like this. (Use じゃあるまいし)
- An excellent script combined with the cast's superb acting earned this film high praise. (Use 相まって)
- The match will be played in accordance with international rules. (Use に則って)
Answers
- にひきかえ
- ともあろう
- たるもの
- じゃあるまいし
- 相まって (「AとBが相まって」)
- に則って (「国際法に則り」 also works)
- に基づいて (survey results are grounds, not a norm, so に則って doesn't fit)
- くせに ("he does nothing himself" is a fact, so くせに; what comes before じゃあるまいし has to be untrue)
- にぎやかだった去年の祭りにひきかえ、今年は閑散としていた。
- 教師ともあろう者が、試験問題を事前に生徒に漏らすとは信じられない。
- 経営者たるもの、自らの決断には責任を持たなければならない。
- 子どもじゃあるまいし、これくらいのことで泣くな。
- 優れた脚本と俳優陣の見事な演技が相まって、この映画は高い評価を得た。(「優れた脚本に俳優陣の見事な演技も相まって」 also works)
- 試合は国際ルールに則って行われる。
Done with the exercises above? Try 23 JLPT-style questions online (grammar + vocabulary): marked as you go, each explained, and the ones you miss are saved for review.
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