JLPT N1Spoken and written

相あい手てが相あい手てだけに・時じ期きが時じ期きなだけにgiven who it is; given the timing

The same noun twice, then だけに: "given that it is this particular one". It doesn't say what is special about it. You both know, or it has just been said.

相あい手ては前ぜん回かいの優ゆう勝しょうチームだ。相あい手てが相あい手てだけに、一いっ瞬しゅんも油ゆ断だんできない。

We're up against the defending champions. Given who we're facing, we can't let our guard down for a moment.

How to form it

Noun + が + the same noun +（な）だけに

な can come before だけに, and nothing changes: 時じ期きが時じ期きなだけに.

The noun: Mostly 相あい手て, 時じ期き, 事こと, 場ば所しょ, 年とし or 値ね段だん. Others fit when you both know what is special about them: 時じ間かん, 状じょう況きょう, 立たち場ば, 病びょう気き.
After it: What naturally follows: care, worry, something you can't do. Often left unsaid.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike, in a careful, grown-up voice.

The nouns you'll mostly meet

相あい手て, and these five.

時じ期きが時じ期きだけにgiven the timing

今いまは入にゅう試し直ちょく前ぜんだ。時じ期きが時じ期きなだけに、生せい徒とたちは皆みなぴりぴりしている。

The entrance exams are days away. Given the timing, the students are all on edge.

事ことが事ことだけにgiven what this is

事ことが事ことだけに、慎しん重ちょうに進すすめたい。

Given what this is, I want to go carefully.

A serious or delicate matter.

場ば所しょが場ば所しょだけにgiven where we are

ここは人ひとの出で入いりが多おおいロビーだ。場ば所しょが場ば所しょなだけに、機き密みつ事じ項こうについては話はなせない。

This is a lobby with people coming and going. Given where we are, we can't talk about anything confidential.

年としが年としだけにat that age

祖そ母ぼも旅りょ行こうに誘さそいたいが、年としが年としだけに……。

I'd like to ask my grandmother along on the trip, but at her age…

She may not be up to it. That part goes unsaid.

値ね段だんが値ね段だんだけにat that price

この宿やどは一いっ泊ぱく十じゅう万まん円えんを超こえる。値ね段だんが値ね段だんだけに、サービスは申もうし分ぶんなかった。

This inn costs over a hundred thousand yen a night. At that price, the service was faultless.

A high price or a low one

値ね段だんが値ね段だんだけに can be about a high price, as above, or a low one. The doubled noun only says "you know what it's like", and what follows tells you which.

この定てい食しょくは五ご百ひゃく円えんだ。値ね段だんが値ね段だんだけに、味あじは期き待たいしていなかった。

This set lunch is five hundred yen. At that price, I wasn't expecting much of the food.

In conversation: だから, も～だし

Chatting, people say the same thing with だから, or with も and だし.

父ちちももう年としが年としだから、無む理りはさせたくない。

Dad isn't getting any younger, so I don't want him overdoing it.

時じ間かんも時じ間かんだし、そろそろ帰かえろうか。

Look at the time. Shall we head home?

Close neighbours

だけにN2

Said once, after the reason itself: precisely because of it, what follows is all the stronger. Doubling the noun leaves the reason for you to fill in.

高こう級きゅうホテルだけに、サービスが悪わるいとがっかりする。

Precisely because it is a luxury hotel, poor service is all the more disappointing.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

相あい手てが相あい手てだけに、断ことわれなかった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Was it cheap or expensive?

値ね段だんが値ね段だんだけに、すぐ壊こわれても文もん句くは言いえない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

彼かれは全ぜん社しゃ員いんを代だい表ひょうする立たち場ばにある。立たち場ばが立たち場ばだけに、軽けい率そつな発はつ言げんは許ゆるされない。

He speaks for every employee. In a position like that, he can't afford a careless remark.

患かん者じゃは重おもい心しん臓ぞう病びょうを抱かかえている。病びょう気きが病びょう気きだけに、回かい復ふくには時じ間かんがかかるだろう。

The patient has a serious heart condition. With an illness like that, recovery will probably take time.

A

来らい月げつ、お父様とうさまも海かい外がい旅りょ行こうに参さん加かされますか。

Will your father be joining the trip abroad next month?

B

もう九きゅう十じゅっ歳さいですからね。年ねん齢れいが年ねん齢れいだけに……。

He's ninety now, you know. At his age…