〜にひきかえ: 'In Contrast To' (Strong Contrast)
Setting up a striking contrast
〜にひきかえ pairs two people, situations, or time periods that stand in clear opposition — one usually favorable, the other not, or vice versa. It's stronger and more pointed than a neutral comparison word.
怠け者の兄にひきかえ、弟は真面目で勤勉だ。
なまけものの あにに ひきかえ、おとうとは まじめで きんべんだ。
In contrast to his lazy older brother, the younger brother is serious and hardworking.
The classic にひきかえ shape: praise one side by contrasting it with the other.
去年の不振にひきかえ、今年は売り上げが伸びている。
きょねんの ふしんに ひきかえ、ことしは うりあげが のびている。
In contrast to last year's slump, sales are growing this year.
Contrasting two time periods.
Form
〜にひきかえ attaches to a noun (or a noun-ized clause) describing the first side of the contrast.
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Noun + にひきかえ | 兄にひきかえ |
| Verb/clause (nominalized) | Plain form + の + にひきかえ | 苦労するのにひきかえ |
やったんが何でも失敗するのにひきかえ、モチは何でもできる。
やったんが なんでも しっぱいする のに ひきかえ、モチは なんでも できる。
In contrast to Yattan, who fails at everything, Mochi can do anything.
のにひきかえ contrasts a whole clause, not just a noun.
Nuance: stronger and more judgmental than 〜に対して
〜に対して is a neutral way to say "in contrast to / toward," fine for objective comparisons. 〜にひきかえ is punchier and often carries a whiff of the speaker's own evaluation — admiration for one side, disappointment in the other. Save it for contrasts you want to land with some emotional color, not for dry statistical comparisons.
The short version
- 〜にひきかえ = "in (marked) contrast to"
- Attaches to: Noun + にひきかえ, or plain-form clause + のにひきかえ
- Nuance/register: written/formal-ish, but carries emotional color; often implies one side is better/worse
- Don't confuse with: neutral 〜に対して, which contrasts without editorial judgment
Practice it
Choose にひきかえ where two sides are set in strong, pointed contrast.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、弟は真面目で勤勉だ。
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜に至るまで — 〜に至るまで attaches to a noun and means 'all the way to / even down to,' stressing that a range is exhaustive: 細部に至るまで ('down to the smallest detail'). Often paired with から for A〜に至るまで.
- 〜に至っては — 〜に至っては means 'as for / when it comes to,' picking out one item — usually the most extreme, worst, or most striking example — from a group already being discussed: この街に至っては深刻だ ('as for this city, it's serious').
- 〜にまつわる — 〜にまつわる attaches to a noun and modifies a following noun, meaning 'related to / associated with,' almost always for stories, legends, episodes, or history tied to a person or place: 神社にまつわる伝説 ('a legend associated with the shrine').
- 〜に則って — 〜に則って means 'in accordance with' or 'based on' — a formal N1 pattern used when acting according to laws, rules, standards, or established precedent, not personal opinion.
- 〜に先駆けて — 〜に先駆けて means 'ahead of others' or 'as a pioneer' — a formal N1 expression for being the first to do something before competitors or peers, common in business and tech news.
- 〜に堪える — 〜に堪える means something is good or strong enough to 'withstand' an action — worth watching, worthy of trust. Its negative, 〜に堪えない, is far more common and means the opposite: too poor or painful to bear.