〜一方で: 'On the Other Hand' / 'While Also...' (Contrast & Parallel Action)
Two sides of the same thing
Use 〜一方で to add a contrasting aspect to something you've just described — much like English "on the other hand" or "then again."
このアプリは便利な一方で、個人情報の扱いには注意が必要だ。
この アプリは べんりな いっぽうで、こじんじょうほうの あつかいには ちゅういが ひつようだ。
This app is convenient, but on the other hand, you need to be careful with your personal data.
便利 (な-adj) + な一方で — states a plus and a minus about the same app.
都会の生活は便利な一方で、危険もある。
とかいの せいかつは べんりな いっぽうで、きけんも ある。
City life is convenient, but there's also danger to it.
Matches the practice-question pattern: [good point]一方で、危険もある。
How it attaches
〜一方で follows the plain form of the predicate, no matter the word type:
| Word type | Attachment | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (plain) | dictionary form + 一方で | 働く → 働く一方で |
| い-adjective | plain + 一方で | 楽しい → 楽しい一方で |
| な-adjective | plain + な一方で | 便利 → 便利な一方で |
| Noun | plain + である一方で | 学生 → 学生である一方で |
やったんは会社で働く一方で、夜は大学にも通っている。
やったんは かいしゃで はたらく いっぽうで、よるは だいがくにも かよっている。
Yattan works at a company, while also attending university at night.
Verb (plain, 働く) + 一方で — 'while doing A, also doing B.'
Meanwhile: two things happening at once
Besides contrast, 一方で often just means "while (also)..." — two actions by the same subject, running in parallel, with no value judgment implied at all.
モチは絵を習う一方で、料理教室にも通い始めた。
モチは えを ならう いっぽうで、りょうりきょうしつにも かよいはじめた。
Mochi is taking art lessons, and at the same time has also started going to cooking class.
Two neutral, parallel activities — no contrast intended.
This differs from 〜のに ("even though"), which always signals a complaint or surprise. 一方で is neutral: it can carry a plus/minus contrast, or just place two facts side by side.
The short version
- 〜一方で = "on the other hand" / "while (also)..." — a contrasting or parallel second fact.
- Attaches to the plain form: verb・い-adj directly, な-adj + な, noun + である.
- Nuance: neutral — unlike 〜のに, no complaint or surprise is required.
- Don't confuse with: 〜のに (contrast with frustration/surprise built in).
Practice it
Choose 一方で to add a contrasting or parallel fact to the sentence.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、危険もある。
Where 〜一方で fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜のに · N4 — This 〜のに attaches to a dictionary-form verb to mean 'for doing X' or 'in order to X', setting up a comment about time, cost, or usefulness — 行くのに1週間かかった (it took a week to go). Not the same のに as 'even though'.
More N2 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜にもかかわらず — にもかかわらず means 'despite / in spite of,' marking a strong contrast between a circumstance and an unexpected outcome (雨にもかかわらず、試合は行われた). It's more formal and emphatic than のに.
- 〜お願いします／お願い申し上げます — 〜お願いします and its more formal cousin 〜お願い申し上げます attach after a noun, ご+verb-stem, or 〜のほど to make a very polite, humble request — ご確認お願いします ('please confirm'). Common in business Japanese and formal writing.
- 〜ねばならない — 〜ねばならない is the formal, literary way to say 'must / have to,' built from the negative conditional 〜ねば ('if not') + ならない ('won't do'). Common in writing, speeches, and rules.
- 〜ぶりに — 〜ぶりに attaches to a period of time to mean 'for the first time in [that period]' — 3年ぶりに (for the first time in 3 years). It marks a gap since the last occurrence, often with a nostalgic or relieved feel.
- どうやら — どうやら is an adverb meaning 'it seems' or 'apparently' — a guess based on what you've observed, usually paired with らしい or ようだ at the end of the sentence: どうやら〜らしい ('it seems that...').
- ふたたび — ふたたび (再び) is a formal, literary adverb meaning 'again' or 'once more' — used for repeated events with emotional or significant weight, contrasting with the everyday また.