Structure
Noun + にかこつけて
Verb + の(1) + にかこつけて
(1) こと
Details
Register
Standard
About にかこつけて
に託けて is a structure based on the case-marking particle に, and the る-Verb 託ける ‘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 に託けて being used primarily for criticism of surface-level excuses used to fulfill an ulterior motive.
- 靴ひもを結ぶのに託けて落ちていた財布をこっそりと拾った。I sneakily picked up the wallet that was on the ground, labeling it as tying my shoelace.
-
あいつは出張に託けて、また釣りに行っているに違いない。I bet he has gone fishing again, consigning it as a business trip.
Examples
--:--
Get more example sentences!
Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.
「花子ったら部活動に託けて、部室に潜り込んでひとり遊んでばかりいるよ。」
'Speaking of Hanako, she sneaks into the club room under the pretense of club activity and just lazes around.'
人（私も含めて）はお菓子が大好きで何かに託けていつも買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「田中さんったら出張に託けてパリを観光するつもりね。」
田中さん「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：「あすかさんと会いたいけどどうしたらいい？」
B：「プリントを渡すというのに託けて家に行ったらどう？」
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?'
風邪に託けて、仕事を休んで一日中コーラを飲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.
Self-Study Sentences
Study your own way!
Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.
にかこつけて – Grammar Discussion
There's currently no discussion for にかこつけて
Ask questions and learn together with other Bunpro users!