JLPT N2・N3 Grammar – The difference between “〜きっかけに” and “〜契機に”

Table of Contents

1. The difference between “〜きっかけに” and “〜契機けいきに”
2. AをきっかけにB
3. Aを契機けいきにB
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comments

Q: Do “〜きっかけに” and “〜契機けいきに” have the same meaning?

A: Both are used to mean that “something starts or changes because of a certain event.”

“きっかけ” expresses the cause or motivation for starting a certain action.
On the other hand, “契機けいき” expresses that a new action or change begins from a certain event as a turning point.

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

AをきっかけにB (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
A becomes the starting point, and an action or change called B begins

[Rule]　　
[N] Noun＋をきっかけに
[N] Noun＋がきっかけで

[Examples]
友達ともだちに誘さそわれたのをきっかけに、ジムに行いき始はじめました。
I started going to the gym after my friend took me there.

夫おっとは結婚けっこんをきっかけに、ギャンブルをやめました。
My husband quit gambling after we got married.

小ちいさなけんかをきっかけに、友達ともだちと全然ぜんぜん話はなさなくなりました。
After a small argument, my friend and I stopped talking completely.

留学りゅうがくしたきっかけは何なんだったんですか。
What made you decide to study abroad?
* “きっかけ” can also be used as a noun.

Aを契機けいきにB (JLPT N2)

[Meaning]
A becomes an important trigger, and an action or change called B begins

[Rule]　
[N] Noun＋を契機けいきに

[Examples]
先日せんじつの災害さいがいを契機けいきに、防災ぼうさいグッズを買かいました。

I bought disaster prevention goods after the recent disaster.

新しん制度せいどの開始かいしを契機けいきに、社内しゃないの働はたらき方かたが大おおきく変かわりました。

With the introduction of the new system, the way people work in the company changed significantly.

海外かいがい進出しんしゅつを契機けいきに、会社かいしゃの売上うりあげは大おおきく伸のびました。

The company’s sales grew significantly after expanding overseas.

この事件じけんを契機けいきに、会社かいしゃは安全あんぜん管理かんりの体制たいせいを見直みなおしました。

After this incident, the company reviewed its safety management system.

Let’s Compare

“AをきっかけにB” expresses that a change called B happened because of a daily event or an accidental event.
The following result can be either a positive change or a negative change.

[Examples]
SNSに写真しゃしんを投稿とうこうしたのをきっかけに、多おおくの人ひとからメッセージが来くるようになりました。

After I posted a photo on social media, many people started sending me messages.
⇒ Posting a photo on social media became the reason many people started sending me messages.
Because a new change happened from a daily event, “〜をきっかけに” is natural.

ある一言ひとことをきっかけに、二人ふたりの関係かんけいは悪わるくなってしまいました。

Because of one comment, their relationship got worse.
⇒ The following part is a negative change: “their relationship got worse.”
In this way, “〜をきっかけに” can be used not only for positive changes, but also for negative changes.

On the other hand, “Aを契機けいきにB” expresses that an action or change called B begins with the event A as a turning point.
It is a more formal expression than “きっかけ” and is often used for relatively major events or important changes.

It is especially often used in the following situations:
• A company or organization changes its policy

• Social movements or systems change

• A new initiative starts after a certain event

• Something is explained in the news or in business documents

[Examples]
新あたらしい法律ほうりつの施行しこうを契機けいきに、多おおくの企業きぎょうが社内しゃないルールを見直みなおしました。

After the new law came into effect, many companies reviewed their internal rules.
⇒ Companies’ responses changed after the social event of the new law coming into effect.

Because “the enforcement of a law” is an important and public event, “〜を契機けいきに” is natural.

大だい規模きぼなシステム障害しょうがいを契機けいきに、会社かいしゃは情報じょうほう管理かんりの体制たいせいを強化きょうかしました。

After the major system failure, the company strengthened its information management system.
⇒ The company’s system changed after the major problem of a system failure.

Because this expresses an important change in business, “〜を契機けいきに” is natural.

[When Both Can Be Used]

Even if an event is personal, if it greatly changed the speaker’s life or way of thinking, either expression can be used without sounding very unnatural.
However, in daily conversation, “きっかけに” sounds more natural, while “契機けいきに” sounds a little formal and more written.

[Examples]
◯ 一いっ冊さつの本ほんをきっかけに、教育きょういくに興味きょうみを持もつようになりました。
◯ 一いっ冊さつの本ほんを契機けいきに、教育きょういくに興味きょうみを持もつようになりました。

After reading one book, I became interested in education.

When “きっかけに” is used, it gives the natural impression that “the book was the starting point of my interest.”
When “契機けいきに” is used, it gives the impression that “the book was a major turning point that changed my life or way of thinking.”

◯ 海外かいがいでの生活せいかつをきっかけに、自分じぶんの国くにの文化ぶんかについて考かんがえるようになりました。

◯ 海外かいがいでの生活せいかつを契機けいきに、自分じぶんの国くにの文化ぶんかについて考かんがえるようになりました。

After living abroad, I started thinking about my own country’s culture.

When “きっかけに” is used, it gives the impression that the speaker is naturally talking about a personal experience.
When “契機けいきに” is used, it gives the impression that the experience is being described as a major turning point in the speaker’s life.

Summary

[AをきっかけにB]

• It expresses that an action or change called B begins because of a daily event or an accidental event.
• The following result can be either a positive change or a negative change.
• It is often used when talking about personal experiences, and it is easy to use in both conversation and writing.
• It sounds softer and more natural than “契機けいき.”

[Aを契機けいきにB]

• It expresses that a major change or new movement called B begins with the event A as a turning point.
• It is a more formal expression than “きっかけ” and is often used in news, business, social events, and changes in systems.
• It can also be used for personal events, but in that case, it becomes a formal way to express the event as “a major turning point in one’s life.”

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

---