をいいことに

take advantage of, taking advantage of, exploit, use as an excuse

AI-generated

Structure

[noun] + をいいことに [verb (plain)] + の + をいいことに [i-adj] + の + をいいことに [na-adj] + な + の + をいいことに [noun] + な + の + をいいことに

Description

をいいことに means someone takes advantage of a situation to do something they shouldn't: "using X as a chance to". It goes after a noun, or after a clause turned into a noun with の. The speaker disapproves, so the second half is something selfish or irresponsible.

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Taking advantage of the teacher being away, the students started goofing off.

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He takes advantage of his parents being lenient and does whatever he pleases.

、。

He's always asking her for favors, taking advantage of her kindness.

A clause needs の before を: ×先生がいないをいいことに. A な-adjective or a noun in a clause takes なの.

、。

Taking advantage of the boss being away on business, his staff left early.

The one who takes advantage is the subject of the second half. Used about yourself, it is a half-guilty confession.

、。

Since nobody was watching, I sneaked some sweets.

をいいことに or をきっかけに

marks a trigger that led to something, with no judgment. をいいことに always carries blame: the situation was used as an excuse.

、。

Studying abroad got me started cooking.

、。

With their parents away, the children took the chance to play games until late at night.

is close to をいいことに but harsher: it means preying on someone's weakness, and the victim is usually another person.

Examples

、。

Taking advantage of the boss being on a business trip, the subordinates left early.

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He takes advantage of the fact that I can't say no and pushes troublesome work onto me.

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Taking advantage of their parents being away, the children played games until late at night.

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He keeps borrowing money, taking advantage of her kindness.

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Taking advantage of the absence of police, many people park illegally.

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Apparently, he was using company expenses for personal purposes, taking advantage of the president not knowing anything.

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Taking advantage of school being cancelled due to the typhoon, I spent the whole day reading manga.

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There are shops that charge unfair prices, taking advantage of the customer being a foreigner.

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Everyone takes advantage of his good nature and pushes the tedious jobs onto him.

、。

Taking advantage of the senior being kind, the junior behaves however he likes.

、。

Taking advantage of her husband's indifference to housework, she's been skipping the cleaning.

References

をいいことにBunpro

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