What does ～を機に(して) mean? Japanese grammar N1

Forming it

How to use it

Takes event A as the OPPORTUNITY to deliberately start/change B. Formal.

• 「～を機に(して)」 = taking the occasion of A, deliberately doing B. The following clause is a WILLFUL action by the subject.
• A is usually a significant life event: 引っ越し (moving house), 結婚 (marriage), 定年 (retirement), 入学 (entering school).
• Different from 「～を境に」 (before/after change, not necessarily deliberate) and 「～をきっかけに」 (more colloquial, A can be minor).

Examples

• 引(ひ)っ越(こ)しを機(き)に、家具(かぐ)を買(か)い替(か)えた。

  I took the move as an opportunity to replace the furniture.

• 定年(ていねん)を機(き)に、田舎(いなか)で暮(く)らすことにした。

  On the occasion of retirement, I decided to live in the countryside.

Keep in mind

• The clause that follows is a proactive action.
• A is a notable occasion/event.

Common mistakes

• Wrong父(ちち)の死(し)を機(き)に、性格(せいかく)が変(か)わってしまった。

  Taking his father's death as the turning point, his personality changed completely.

  Correct父(ちち)の死(し)を境(さかい)に、性格(せいかく)が変(か)わってしまった。

  A change that is NOT deliberate uses 「を境に」; 「を機に」 requires a willful action.

• Wrong引(ひ)っ越(こ)しを機(き)に、疲(つか)れた。

  On the occasion of moving, I got tired.

  Correct引(ひ)っ越(こ)しを機(き)に、生活(せいかつ)を見直(みなお)した。

  The following clause is a DELIBERATE action taken on that occasion, not a passive state.

Exam tips

• 「を機に」 = taking the occasion of A to deliberately do B; the following clause must be willful.

Related patterns

• ～をきっかけに
• ～を境に
• ～に際して