4 different meanings of ～によって/JLPT N3

Chap 1. ～によって and the diversity

Author Hazakura

In general

A によってB means Depending on A, B This grammar point focuses on the diversity which A is the change factor for diversity.

人 によって、一日3時間しか寝ない人もいる = Depending on people, there is also someone who just sleeps for 3 hours.

によって expresses the diversity of time sleeping of people. The fact is there is someone who just sleeps for only 3 hours, while the normal sleeping hour is 8 hours.

This case, the change factor is people (=人 ).

Another example

国によって、習慣が違う = Depending on the country, the custom is different.

This is the diversity of custom with the change factor country.

Whenever there is a diversity depending on the change factor A, remember によって.

A によって = Depending on A

How to form

2 ways to highligh the diversity with によって, Direct diversity and indirect diversity

(I) Direct diversity

B ends with the words showing the difference like

• 違う = different
• さまざま = various etc

On the whole, the sentence will be like the followings

A によって 違う = Depending on A , ~ is different

or A によって, ~さまざま = Depending on A, ~ is various

Examples

人々によって、考え方はさまざまだ. = Depending on people, the thinking is different.

Here shown B = さまざまだ

帰宅時間は日によって違う. = Depending the date, the return time is different.

Here shown B = 違う

(II) Indirect diversity

B ends by the specific case of diversity.

B can be ～こともある = there are cases when

～かもしれません = it might be ~

On the whole, the sentence becomes like the following

A によって B こともある = Depending on A, there are cases when B

A によって, B かもしれません = Depending on A, it might be B

Examples

1/ 場合 によって, 今年の文化祭は中止になるかもしれません。 = Depending on the situation, there are cases when the culture festival will be stopped.

2/ 地域によって２４時間営業じゃないコンビニもありませす. = Depending on the region, there is combini who does not run the 24-hour business.

About A clause

Only goes with noun. No adj, no verb。

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Noun + によって

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Big family of によって

によって is not that simple. Totally, it has 4 different meanings。.

(1) Depending on A, B: as above

人々によって考え方は様々だ = Depending on people the thinking is different.

(2) Since A then B. Focus on the reason

その病気によって会社を休む者が続出した = Because of this sickness, the number of people who are off from work has increased.

(3) By the method A, do B. Focus on the method

外国語を学ぶことによってその国の人たちの考え方も知ることができる。 = By learning a foreign language, we can understand the way of thinking of the people in that region.

(4) By that person, B is made. Focus on the creator.

ある無名の人によって作られたこの歌を今ではみんなが歌っている。 = The song created by a no-name person has been sung by the public until now.

Points of によって- diversity

1/ によって in this lesson means Depending on A, B, focussing on expressing the diversity of things.

2/ How to form

A によって B

a/ Direct diversity

A によって～違う Noun A によって, ～さまざまだ

b/ Indirect diversity Noun Aによって, B こともある Noun A によって, B かもしれません

3/ Typical examples

a/ 人々によって考え方は様々だ。 = Depending on people, the thinking way is different

b/ 場合によっては今年の文化祭は中止になるかもしれません。 = Depending on the situation, this year’s culture festival may be cancelled.