Grammar Info
N1 Lesson 4: 3/17

なりに
in one's/its own way, of someone's own, do ones best in one's own way, as much as one can

Structure
Noun + なりに
それ + なりに
[い]Adjective + なりに
[な]Adjective + なりに
Noun (A) + なり + + Noun (B)
それ + なりの + Noun
Details
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使用域 一般
Information
  • [なり is used to express that something is/was done in a way unique/appropriate to Noun. It emphasizes that it might not be quite perfect since it is limited to Noun's level/abilities, often with a nuance of “as much as one can do, but within capabilities”]
  • [Similarly, with adjectives, it means to do something in spite of the trait or issue represented by the adjective. In this case, なり can be rephrased to が、け(れ)ど(も), and so on]
  • [なり in expressions like 言いなり、道なり means to follow something without any deviations (lit. (do) like someone says, (go) like the path/course)]
  • [なり is sometimes used with なら or ば as Phrase1なら/ば + Phrase2なり to express what the speaker feels]
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なつみちゃん:「田舎(いなか)って本当(ほんとう)に不便(ふべん)だよね」
こまりちゃん:「田舎(いなか)は不便(ふべん)な時(とき)あるけど、それなりに魅力(みりょく)もある。」
Natsumi: "The countryside is really inconvenient, right?"
Komari: "It might be inconvenient sometimes, but it also has its own charm."
[なり can also be used for rebuttal/putting oneself or others in better light due to the positive nuance of “doing as much as one can”]
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子供(こども)いいね。何(なん)にも心配(しんぱい)ごとも無(な)いし...」
でも子供(こども)には子供(こども)なりの苦(くる)しみがあるんだけど。」
"Children have it nice. No worries at all…"
"But children have their own worries though."
[Noun1(に)はNoun1/それ + なり are common patterns. Often used with がある、持っている and so on. The first noun can be omitted]
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彼(かれ)下手(へた)なりに頑張(がんば)ってラブレターを書(か)いた。
For all of his lack of skill, he did the best that he could to write a love letter.
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Japanese Naturally... By Sasaki Mizue
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