What does ～べくして mean? Japanese grammar N1

Forming it

How to use it

States that B happened as something INEVITABLE, exactly as it was bound to. Usually repeats the same verb.

• 「～べくして」 = "A happened as something INEVITABLE": 「起こるべくして起こった」 (it happened as it was bound to happen).
• Usually repeats the same verb: dictionary form + べくして + 同動詞た form (past tense of the same verb).
• Emphasizes that the result is the natural consequence of an existing cause.

Examples

• あの事故(じこ)は起(お)こるべくして起(お)こった。

  That accident was bound to happen.

• 彼(かれ)らは勝(か)つべくして勝(か)った。

  They won as they were destined to.

Keep in mind

• Repeated structure: Vる + べくして + Vた.
• Emphasizes inevitability.

Common mistakes

• Wrong偶然(ぐうぜん)、起(お)こるべくして起(お)こった。

  By coincidence, it happened just as it was bound to happen.

  Correct起(お)こるべくして起(お)こった。

  「べくして」 emphasizes inevitability (not chance), which contradicts 「偶然」 (by coincidence).

• Wrong彼(かれ)は失敗(しっぱい)するべくして失(うしな)った。

  He lost it, as if bound to happen.

  Correct彼(かれ)は失敗(しっぱい)するべくして失敗(しっぱい)した。

  「べくして」 requires REPEATING the exact same verb in the second clause (Vる + べくして + that same verb in past tense); it cannot be swapped for a different verb even if the meaning is similar.

Exam tips

• 「べくして」 = happens as something inevitable (Vる+べくして+Vた); not used with 偶然 (by chance).

Related patterns

• ～べく
• ～だけあって
• ～のは当然だ