Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 9: 15/20

(かこつ)けて

In the name of, Using the excuse of, To use as a pretext of, Under the guise or pretense of

Structure

Noun + にかこつけて
Verb + (1) + かこつけて

(1) こと

Details

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About にかこつけて

(かこつ)けて is a structure based on the case-marking particle に, and the る-Verb (かこつ)ける ‘to consign as’, or ‘to label as’. As this translation doesn’t exhibit the same nuance well in English all the time, it is commonly interpreted as ‘in the name of (A)’, or ‘under the pretense of (A)’.

(かこつ)けて will be used after nouns, or verbs that have been nominalized with の.

Caution

Despite the common interpretations, the original meaning of ‘to consign’ works just as well in terms of meaning ‘labeling it as (A)’. This is due to (かこつ)けて being used primarily for criticism of surface-level excuses used to fulfill an ulterior motive.

  • (くつ)ひもを(むす)ぶの(かこつ)けて()ちていた財布(さいふ)をこっそりと(ひろ)った。
    I sneakily picked up the wallet that was on the ground, labeling it as tying my shoelace.
  • あいつは出張(しゅっちょう)(かこつ)けて、また()りに()っているに(ちが)いない。
    I bet he has gone fishing again, consigning it as a business trip.

Examples

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    花子(はなこ)ったら()活動(かつどう)(かこつ)けて部室(ぶしつ)(もぐ)()んでひとり(あそ)んでばかりいるよ。」

    'Speaking of Hanako, she sneaks into the club room under the pretense of club activity and just lazes around.'

    (ひと)(わたし)(ふく)めて)はお菓子(かし)大好(だいす)きで(なに)(かこつ)けていつも()ってしまうのではないだろうか。

    I think that people (myself included) love sweets and will always buy them under some pretext.

    武田(たけだ)田中(たなか)さんったら出張(しゅっちょう)(かこつ)けてパリを観光(かんこう)するつもりね。」
    田中(たなか)さん「いやいや、そんなこと。」

    Takeda: 'Tanaka-san, you're planning to go sightseeing in Paris using the pretense of a business trip, aren't you?'
    Tanaka: 'No no, nothing like that.'

    A:「あすかさんと()いたいけどどうしたらいい?」
    B:「プリントを(わた)すというの(かこつ)けて(いえ)()ったらどう?」

    A: 'I want to meet with Asuka, but what should I do?'
    B: 'How about going to her house under the pretext of intending to give her printouts?'

    風邪(かぜ)(かこつ)けて仕事(しごと)(やす)んで(いち)日中(にちじゅう)コーラを()んだりゲームをしてしまった。

    Using the pretext of a cold, he took some time off work, drank coke, and played games all day long.

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