JLPT N1Mostly writtenJudging

にひきかえin sharp contrast to

Two things are set side by side, poles apart, and you have a feeling about it: let down by one of them, or impressed.

常つねに準じゅん備びを怠おこたらない姉あねにひきかえ、弟おとうとは締しめ切きり直ちょく前ぜんまで何なにもしない。

The older sister is always well prepared. Her younger brother, in sharp contrast, does nothing until just before the deadline.

旧きゅう館かんは採さい光こうが悪わるく、冬ふゆは底そこ冷びえした。それにひきかえ、新しん館かんは明あかるく暖あたたかい。

The old building had poor natural light and was bitterly cold in winter. The new one, by contrast, is bright and warm.

After a noun

Noun + にひきかえ

Also written に引ひき換かえ.

After a clause

Plain form + の + にひきかえ

A な-adjective or a noun takes な: 静しずかなのにひきかえ.

Opening a sentence

Sentence。それにひきかえ、…

それ is what was just said. This is the one people say out loud.

Before it: The one you measure by, summed up: 努ど力りょく家かの兄あに (my hard-working brother), 昨さく年ねんの好こう調ちょうな売うり上あげ (last year's strong sales).
After it: The other one, and how utterly different it is. This is the one being judged.
Tone: It is how people sigh over someone: それにひきかえ、うちの子こは….
Where you'll meet it: Essays, columns, reviews, novels. For a plain "unlike", people say と違ちがって.

In use

昨さく年ねんの好こう調ちょうな売うり上あげにひきかえ、今年ことしは赤あか字じに転てん落らくした。

In sharp contrast to last year's strong sales, the company has fallen into the red this year.

前ぜん回かいの調ちょう査さでは回かい答とう率りつが高たかかったのにひきかえ、今こん回かいは半はん数すうにも届とどかなかった。

The response rate was high in the last survey. This time, by contrast, it did not even reach half.

入にゅう社しゃ当とう時じの自じ信しんのなさにひきかえ、今いまの彼かの女じょは堂どう々どうと会かい議ぎを進すすめている。

She had so little confidence when she joined the company. Now, in striking contrast, she runs meetings with assurance.

Impressed, this time.

It judges. に対して only compares

去きょ年ねんの夏なつは涼すずしかったのに対たいして、今年ことしは猛もう暑しょが続つづいている。

Last summer was cool, whereas this year the extreme heat goes on and on.

Two summers side by side, as a weather report would put it.

去きょ年ねんの夏なつは涼すずしかったのにひきかえ、今年ことしは猛もう暑しょが続つづいている。

Last summer was cool. This year, by contrast, the extreme heat goes on and on.

The same two summers, from someone who is suffering through this one.

The two sides also have to be poles apart. For a difference of degree, a little warmer or a bit cheaper, it's に比くらべて.

Close neighbours

に対してN3

Two different things side by side: A is like this, B is like that. It reports a contrast and passes no judgment.

兄あにが静しずかなのに対たいして、弟おとうとはよくしゃべる。

My older brother is quiet, whereas my younger brother talks a lot.

に比べてN3

"Compared with". It measures one against the other: more, less, or not much different. No judgment.

去きょ年ねんに比くらべて、今年ことしの夏なつは雨あめが少すくない。

Compared with last year, there has been less rain this summer.

と違ってN3

"Unlike": the everyday word, for any two things that differ.

平へい日じつと違ちがって、日にち曜よう日びはバスの本ほん数すうが少すくない。

Unlike on weekdays, there are fewer buses on Sundays.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

去きょ年ねん（　　）、今年ことしの冬ふゆは少すこし暖あたたかい。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

姉あねの部屋へやはいつも片かたづいている。（　　）、私わたしの部屋へやは足あしの踏ふみ場ばもない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

と引ひき換かえに, with と, is a different phrase, "in exchange for": 代だい金きんと引ひき換かえに, in exchange for payment.

More sentences

都と心しんの駅えき前まえは夜よ中なかまで人ひと通どおりが絶たえない。それにひきかえ、郊こう外がいのこの町まちは日ひが暮くれると静しずまり返かえる。

The area around the station downtown is busy until the middle of the night. This suburban town, by contrast, falls silent once the sun goes down.

前ぜん作さくの緻ち密みつな構こう成せいにひきかえ、今こん作さくの物もの語がたりはまとまりを欠かいている。

The last one was so tightly constructed. The story in this one, by contrast, does not hold together.

前ぜん任にん者しゃの丁てい寧ねいな説せつ明めいにひきかえ、新あたらしい担たん当とう者しゃの説せつ明めいは要よう点てんさえ分わかりにくい。

The person who had the job before explained things with care. With the new one, by contrast, it is hard to follow even the main points.

Compared with similar forms

"Whereas" and "on the other hand"