日本語道場

Nihongo Dojo — N3 → N2

Grammar

N3

～をきっかけに

~ o kikkake ni

triggered by

When to use it

Use ～をきっかけに when naming the event that set a change in motion — a merger, a trade show, a customer complaint — and the change is presented as lasting or significant. It is common in reports, press releases and email openings where you explain why a policy or relationship began. Neutral-to-formal; ～をきっかけとして is the stiffer written variant, ～をきっかけにして the more conversational one.

Formation

  • Noun + をきっかけに(して) / をきっかけとして — 「合併をきっかけに」
  • Verb (plain) + の / こと + をきっかけに — 「担当を外れたのをきっかけに」
  • i-adjective / na-adjective: no direct attachment; nominalize the situation first — 「業績が悪化したことをきっかけに」
  • The result clause states a change, decision or new state, not a one-off action: 「〜を見直した」「〜が定着した」rather than「〜を一度やった」
  • Cannot take a negative trigger clause (×〜しなかったのをきっかけに)

Examples

  • Prompted by this merger, we will conduct a full review of operations.

  • The trade show is what led to our starting business with them.

  • One remark from the director got the discussion moving all at once.

  • After a run of complaints, we tightened our inspection system.

  • In connection with the listing, we will fully revise internal regulations.