JLPT N1 Grammar

〜ゆえに (yue ni)

〜ゆえに (yue ni)
“Because of; due to; owing to”

This expression indicates a strong causal relationship between a reason and a result. It is used to state that "Result B" exists precisely because of "Reason A." It often highlights a direct, inevitable, or inherent connection between the two.

  • Formality: Highly formal and literary. It is one of the most stiff and academic ways to express "because."
  • Context: Primarily used in written Japanese, such as academic papers, formal speeches, philosophical texts, editorials, or legal documents. In a business context, it is reserved for high-level mission statements or formal correspondence rather than daily emails.
  • Nuance: It carries a logical, objective, and sometimes "heavy" or "profound" tone. Unlike common causal markers, it suggests that the result is a natural consequence of the nature or essence of the preceding noun or clause. In some cases, it can also express a speaker’s subjective sense of pride or inescapable fate (e.g., "Because I am a professional...").

Format

  • Noun + の + ゆえに
    慣れない地ゆえに、道に迷ってしまった。 Because it was an unfamiliar land, I ended up getting lost.
  • Verb (Plain Form) + ゆえに
    動かぬ証拠があるゆえに、反論は不可能だ。 Because there is irrefutable evidence, a rebuttal is impossible.
  • い-Adj + ゆえに
    有名すぎるゆえに、プライベートがほとんどない。 Because he is too famous, he has almost no private life.
  • な-Adj + である + ゆえに
    優秀であるゆえに、周囲からの期待も大きい。 Because she is excellent, the expectations from those around her are also high.

Example sentences

  • 、、。
    Because our company is a newly established corporation, although our track record is small, we are capable of flexible responses.
  • 、。
    Because of limited language proficiency, it is not uncommon to cause misunderstandings.
  • 、。
    Persistence born of being an expert (because one is an expert) sometimes causes delays in a project.
  • 、、。
    Because of the weak yen, import costs are soaring and putting pressure on business operations.
  • （あし）、。
    Because man is a "thinking reed," he is noble.
  • 、、。
    Because I am inexperienced, I expect there are many areas where I fall short, but I humbly request your guidance.
  • 。
    Because of being extremely busy, the number of business people who damage their health is never-ending.
  • 、。
    Because our positions differ, a conflict of opinions is unavoidable.
  • 、。
    Because of his sincerity, he was unable to tell a lie.
  • 、。
    Because globalization is accelerating, the importance of cross-cultural understanding is increasing.

Similar Grammar

〜ばこそ (ba koso)

“Precisely because...”
愛していればこそ、厳しく叱るのです。 It is precisely because I love you that I scold you harshly.

Difference:

  • Used to emphasize a reason that might seem counter-intuitive.
  • It is more emotional and subjective than 〜ゆえに.

〜がゆえに (ga yue ni)

“Because of...”
貧しさゆえに (or) 貧しさがゆえに、十分な教育を受けられなかった。 Because of poverty, they could not receive a sufficient education.

Difference:

  • Adding "が" makes the expression even more archaic and literary.
  • In modern high-level Japanese, they are often used interchangeably.

〜ばかりに (bakari ni)

“Simply because... (negative result)”
経験がないばかりに、大きなミスをしてしまった。 Simply because I lacked experience, I made a huge mistake.

Difference:

  • Specifically used when a small or single cause leads to an unfortunate or regrettable outcome.

〜とあって (to atte)

“Because of the special situation of...”
連休初日とあって、観光地はどこも混雑している。 Because it’s the first day of a long holiday, the tourist spots are crowded everywhere.

Difference:

  • Used for specific, observable situations or special events, rather than general truths or inherent qualities.

〜ことゆえ (koto yue)

“Because of the fact that...”
不慣れなことゆえ、ご迷惑をおかけしました。 Because of the fact that I am inexperienced (with this), I have caused you trouble.

Difference:

  • Very polite and formal.
  • Often used in apologies (especially in business letters) to soften the cause of a mistake.

JLPT Practice Questions

Now let’s test your understanding.

Q1. は（　　　）、ものの、ながです。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q2. をした（　　　）、でするとは。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q3. の（　　　）は、にはし。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q4. （　　　）、多くのがのにいる。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q5. がして（　　　）、がいる。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q6. 上の（　　　）、なをしまった。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q7. （　　　）、にごをことをします。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q8. は（　　　）、をものである。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q9. が（　　　）、にことがある。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q10. （　　　）、がしまったことを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q11. （　　　）、をすることができなかった。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q12. （　　　）を。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q13. が（　　　）、とすることはできない。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q14. は（　　　）、なを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q15. （　　　）、ごをおかけしたことをしております。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Continue Your Journey to Native-Level Fluency

Great work finishing this session! Achieving N1-level precision is about layering these subtle distinctions until they become second nature in your professional life.

To maintain your momentum and eliminate any remaining blind spots, head back to our JLPT N1 Grammar List. Use it to systematically check off each point and refine your ability to navigate complex Japanese environments with the confidence of a native speaker.

JLPT N1 Grammar List

Who we are

Japanese at Work is built by gaijins, for gaijins.

Most schools and tutors follow the same path: memorise JLPT vocabulary and study grammar that rarely appears in real workplace writing. This works if your only goal is to pass the test.

But after that, things change. Once you start working in Japan, you’re expected to read reports, follow discussions, and speak clearly about industry news and decisions—at a professional level. If you can’t, you’re quietly left out of conversations and leadership opportunities. This is the gap between JLPT Japanese and real Japanese, and most learners are left to struggle with it alone.

Japanese at Work exists to close that gap. We share content that focuses on the Japanese you actually encounter at work—across business, management, IT, marketing, product, and recruitment.

Learn at your own pace, wherever you are, without distractions, progress bars and daily push notifications. For a limited time, all of our content is free.

Read more