Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
「からこそ」 means “precisely because,” “it is exactly because,” or “for this very reason.”
🎯 Primary Function
To strongly emphasize the reason or cause for a particular outcome or conclusion. It highlights the idea that the preceding clause is the *unique* or *most important* reason for the following clause.
📋 Grammar Structure
[Verb (plain form)] + からこそ
[い-adjective (plain form)] + からこそ
[な-adjective (plain form)] + だからこそ / であるからこそ
[Noun (plain form)] + だからこそ / であるからこそ
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Can be used in formal contexts to strongly assert a reason, such as in speeches or formal writing.
Informal Situations
Commonly used in both formal and informal speech and writing to add emphasis.
Written Language
Frequently seen in essays, articles, and formal documents to present a strong argument or explanation.
Spoken Language
Widely used in conversation to add persuasive power or emotional weight to a statement about a cause and effect.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing gratitude for hardship
Used to say that a positive outcome or learning experience was possible *only because* of a difficult situation.
Example: あの時の苦労があったからこそ、今の自分がある。 (Ano toki no kurō ga atta kara koso, ima no jibun ga aru. – It is precisely because I had that hardship back then that I am who I am today.)
Justifying an action or decision
Used to strongly justify why a particular action was taken or a decision was made, emphasizing the crucial reason behind it.
Example: 君を信じているからこそ、この仕事を任せるんだ。(Kimi o shinjite iru kara koso, kono shigoto o makaseru n da. – It is precisely because I believe in you that I am entrusting this job to you.)
Highlighting a unique condition for a result
Used to show that a specific condition is the necessary or sole condition leading to a result.
Example: 健康だからこそ、毎日楽しく過ごせる。(Kenkō da kara koso, mainichi tanoshiku sugoseru. – It is precisely because one is healthy that they can spend every day happily.)
Frequency
Moderately frequent, especially in contexts where emphasis on causality is needed.
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced (N3-N2). Understanding the nuanced emphasis is key.
Example Sentences
一生懸命練習したからこそ、試合に勝てたんだ。
Precisely because I practiced hard, I was able to win the match.
難しい問題だからこそ、挑戦する価値がある。
It is precisely because it is a difficult problem that it is worth challenging.
家族の支えがあったからこそ、最後まで頑張れた。
It was precisely because I had my family’s support that I was able to persevere until the end.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Emphasis on the Reason
「からこそ」 puts strong emphasis on the reason (the part before からこそ). It implies that this specific reason is the most important or perhaps the only reason for the result.
Example: 病気だったからこそ、健康のありがたみが分かった。(Byōki datta kara koso, kenkō no arigatamisa ga wakatta. – Precisely because I was sick, I understood the value of health.)
Often implies a positive outcome from a challenging reason
While it can be used with any cause-effect relationship, it frequently appears when a difficult or undesirable situation (before からこそ) leads to a positive result or realization (after からこそ).
Example: 大変だったからこそ、成功した時の喜びも大きかった。(Taihen datta kara koso, seikō shita toki no yorokobi mo ōkikatta. – Precisely because it was difficult, the joy when I succeeded was also great.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using it interchangeably with simple 「から」
✅ While both indicate reason, 「からこそ」 adds strong emphasis that 「から」 lacks. Don’t use 「からこそ」 if simple causality is sufficient.
「から」 simply states a reason. 「からこそ」 asserts that the reason is *the* critical factor.
❌ Incorrectly attaching it to the politeness stem (-masu)
✅ Like 「から」 when indicating reason, 「からこそ」 attaches to the plain form of verbs, i-adjectives, and the plain form/です/である of na-adjectives and nouns.
「行きますからこそ」 is incorrect. It should be 「行くからこそ」 or 「行ったからこそ」.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: The level of politeness is determined by the surrounding sentence structure, not by 「からこそ」 itself. It can appear in both polite (-masu/-desu) and plain forms.
Social Situations: Used in various social contexts, from casual conversations to formal speeches, whenever emphasizing a specific reason is needed.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese. No significant regional variations of the pattern itself.
🔍 Subtle Differences
から vs からこそ
「から」 states a reason. 「からこそ」 strongly emphasizes that the reason is the unique or primary cause.
When to use: Use 「から」 for simple causal statements. Use 「からこそ」 when you want to highlight and emphasize the importance or uniqueness of the reason.
ので vs からこそ
「ので」 states a reason, often in a slightly softer or more objective way. 「からこそ」 is strongly subjective and emphatic.
When to use: Use 「ので」 for milder or more objective reasons (often used for excuses or explanations). Use 「からこそ」 when you want to assert a specific reason forcefully.
ために vs からこそ
「ために」 indicates purpose (“in order to”) or cause/reason (often for negative outcomes or natural phenomena). 「からこそ」 *only* emphasizes the reason.
When to use: Use 「ために」 for purpose or cause (especially negative/natural). Use 「からこそ」 when emphasizing a reason for a specific outcome, highlighting its importance.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Attaches to the plain form of verbs and i-adjectives. For na-adjectives and nouns, it attaches to だからこそ or であるからこそ. (であるからこそ is more formal).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounce 「からこそ」 as a single unit, putting emphasis on the particles 「から」 and 「こそ」 together. The 「こそ」 adds the emphatic stress.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of 「こそ」 as adding a magnifying glass or an exclamation mark to 「から」. It makes the reason *stand out*. “Kara + Koso = The reason is SOSO important!”
Vocabulary List
苦労
kurō
hardship, suffering
自信
jishin
confidence
健康
kenkō
health
視点
shiten
point of view
挑戦
chōsen
challenge, attempt
支え
sasae
support
品質
quality
Kanji List
苦労
くろう
hardship
自信
じしん
confidence
健康
けんこう
health
視点
してん
point of view
挑戦
ちょうせん
challenge
支え
ささえ
support
品質
ひんしつ
quality
信頼
しんらい
trust
効率
こうりつ
efficiency
失敗
しっぱい
failure
経験
けいけん
experience
Practice Exercises
彼はいつも努力している。______ 成功したのだろう。
から
のに
からこそ
ても
この仕事は大変だ。______ やりがいがあるんだ。
だから
だけれど
だからこそ
ながら
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