Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 9: 15/20

に託(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 + の(1) + にかこつけて

(1) こと

Details

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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About にかこつけて

に託(かこつ)けて is a structure based on the case-marking particle に, and the る-Verb 託(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)’.
に託(かこつ)けて will be used after nouns, or verbs that have been nominalized with の.
  • 病院(びょういん)に行(い)くというのに託(かこつ)けて仕事(しごと)を休(やす)んだ。
    I took a day off work under the pretense of going to the hospital.
  • 彼(かれ)の家(いえ)に忘(わす)れ物(もの)をしたというのに託(かこつ)けて彼(かれ)のところにもう一度(いちど)行(い)く。
    I will go to his place again under the pretense that I left something at his place.
  • 彼女(かのじょ)はいつも何(なに)かにかこつけて僕(ぼく)の家(いえ)に来(こ)ようとする。本当(ほんとう)にやめてほしい。
    She always tries to come to my place under the pretense of something. I really want her to stop.
  • 風邪(かぜ)にかこつけて、授業(じゅぎょう)を休(やす)んで一日中(いちにちじゅう)テレビを見(み)ながらダラダラしていた。
    Using the pretext of a cold, I skipped class and loafed around and watched TV all day.
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 に託(かこつ)けて being used primarily for criticism of surface-level excuses used to fulfill an ulterior motive.
  • 靴(くつ)ひもを結(むすぶ)ぶのに託(かこつ)けて落(お)ちていた財布(さいふ)をこっそりと拾(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)に託(かこつ)けて、また釣(つ)りに行(い)っているに違(ちが)いない。
    I bet he has gone fishing again, consigning it as a business trip.

Examples

  • 「花子(はなこ)ったら部(ぶ)活動(かつどう)にかこつけて、部室(ぶしつ)に潜(もぐ)り込(こ)んでひとり遊(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.'

  • 人(ひと)（私(わたし)も含(ふく)めて）はお菓子(かし)が大好(だいす)きで何(なに)かにかこつけていつも買(か)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)に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：「あすかさんと会(あ)いたいけどどうしたらいい？」
    B：「プリントを渡(わた)すというのにかこつけて家(いえ)に行(い)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)にかこつけて、仕事(しごと)を休(やす)んで一(いち)日中(にちじゅう)コーラを飲(の)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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