Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 8: 15/22

一方(いっぽう)だ
more and more, continue to, keep on, -er and -er

The verb must express change (e.g. 増える、下がる、or verbs ending with …なる、…てくる、…ていく etc.)

Structure
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Verb + 一方
Verb + 一方 + Phrase
Verb + 一方
Verb + 一方 + Phrase
Details
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使用域 硬い
Information
一方(いっぽう) is a 名詞(めいし) (noun) that is often seen after verbs, in order to convey the meaning of ‘more and more (A)’, ‘continuing to (A)’, or ‘getting (A)er and (A)er’.
一方(いっぽう) will be paired with the 助動詞(じょどうし) (auxiliary verb) (at the end of sentences), or で, だ’s 連用形(れんようけい) (conjunctive form) when it will be followed by some sort of explanation.
  • アメリカロシア関係(かんけい)は悪化(あっか)する一方(いっぽう)だ
    The relationship between the US and Russia keeps on getting worse.
  • 仕事(しごと)量(りょう)増(ふ)える一方(いっぽう)で、休(やす)み取(と)れない
    Because the amount of work keeps on increasing, I can't take a day off.
As the literal meaning of 一方(いっぽう) is ‘single direction’, it may be used with things that are increasing, decreasing, intensifying, or weakening, so long as the shift is all in a single direction.
Caution
一方(いっぽう) may only be used with verbs that express some kind of change, as 一方(いっぽう) itself does not express change, just a continuing direction.
  • 高齢化(こうれいか)進(すす)んで、人口(じんこう)減(へ)る一方(いっぽう)だ。 (Natural)
    Because of the aging society, the population continues to decline.
  • 子供(こども)怪我(けが)して泣(な)く一方(いっぽう)だ。 (Unnatural)
    The child cries in one direction because he got injured.
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上昇(じょうしょう)し続(つづ)ける物価(ぶっか)のせいで生活(せいかつ)は苦(くる)しくなる一方(いっぽう)だ
Due to the continuous growth of prices, the life keeps on getting harder and harder.
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残念(ざんねん)ながらこんな事件(じけん)が増(ふ)える一方(いっぽう)だ
Unfortunately, there are more and more cases like these.
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皆(みんな)が何(なに)もしようとしないから、地球(ちきゅう)温暖化(おんだんか)が悪(わる)くなる一方(いっぽう)だ
Because no one is doing anything about it, global warming is continuing to get worse.
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