にかこつけて

to use as a pretext, to use as an excuse, in the name of, using the excuse of, to use as a pretext of, under the guise or pretense of

AI-generated

Structure

[noun] + にかこつけて

Description

にかこつけて is used to express that someone uses something as a pretext, excuse, or justification to do something else – often something they actually wanted to do anyway, or something self-serving. The nuance is that the stated reason is not the real or primary motivation; it is being used as a convenient cover.

The kanji form is にかこつけて託けて, from the verb かこつける託ける (かこつける), meaning "to use as a pretext." In practice, it is most often written in hiragana.

Basic Usage

Attach にかこつけて to a noun (the pretext or excuse), then follow with the action that is actually being carried out under that guise.

、。

Using the business trip as an excuse, I enjoyed some sightseeing.

、。

He used his illness as a pretext to skip work.

Nuance

This expression carries a negative or critical tone. The speaker implies that the person is being insincere or opportunistic – the stated reason is merely a convenient excuse. It is used to criticize or comment on someone's behavior, though it can also be used self-deprecatingly.

、。

Under the guise of client entertainment, he ate at an expensive restaurant.

をこうじつ口実に: Very similar meaning ("using … as an excuse"), but slightly more formal and direct.
をいいことに: "Taking advantage of …" – focuses more on exploiting a favorable situation rather than fabricating an excuse.
をめいもく名目に: "In the name of …" – emphasizes the official label or stated purpose.

Examples

、。

He used work as an excuse to go out drinking.

、。

She's just enjoying a vacation under the guise of a training trip.

、。

Using feeling unwell as a pretext, he skipped the tedious meeting.

、。

I used visiting my parents at the hospital as an excuse to relax at my family home.

、。

He uses being busy as an excuse to not do any housework at all.

、。

Using the anniversary as a pretext, I ended up buying a bag I had been wanting.

、。

Under the guise of crime prevention, they are violating residents' privacy.

、。

They are pushing unnecessary public works projects under the pretext of earthquake recovery.

、。

I look forward to using cherry blossom viewing as an excuse to drink from the afternoon.

、。

She used a cold as an excuse to turn down the date.

、らしい。

Apparently, they were gathering information on a rival company under the pretense of conducting research.

References

Fault ～せいで～にかこつけてimabi.org
にかこつけてBunpro

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