JLPT N2Spoken and writtenGood or bad results

だけにprecisely because; all the more

Precisely because of something, what follows is all the stronger: the higher your hopes, the worse the let-down; the harder the exam, the sweeter the pass. The result can be good or bad.

期き待たいしていただけに、がっかりした。

I had been expecting a lot, so I was all the more disappointed.

試し験けんが難むずかしいだけに、合ごう格かくしたときの達たっ成せい感かんも大おおきい。

Precisely because the exam is hard, passing it feels like all the more of an achievement.

How to form it

Plain form + だけに

長ながいだけに, かけただけに. A noun goes straight on: プロだけに. A な-adjective takes な: 複ふく雑ざつなだけに. In formal writing both can take である: 責せき任にん者しゃであるだけに.

Before it: Something that raises the stakes: long experience, high hopes, a high price, years of work.
After it: What that leads to: the quality you'd expect, a joy or a let-down felt all the more, or the extra care it calls for.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike. Reviews, sports pages and the news use it a lot.

In use

彼かの女じょは海かい外がい勤きん務むが長ながいだけに、文ぶん化かの違ちがいへの対たい応おうがうまい。

Having worked abroad for so long, she is naturally good at handling cultural differences.

制せい作さくに十じゅう年ねんかけただけに、完かん成せいしたときの喜よろこびは大おおきかった。

It took ten years to make, so the joy of finishing it was all the greater.

この機き器きは高こう価かなだけに、持もち運はこびには専せん用ようのケースを使つかっている。

This equipment is expensive, which is exactly why I carry it in a case of its own.

だけに or だけあって?

Both start from something that raises expectations.

だけあってN2

"As you'd expect from": praise. The result lives up to the reason. さすが and だけのことはある go with it.

高こう級きゅうホテルだけあって、サービスがすばらしい。

As you'd expect from a luxury hotel, the service is wonderful.

だけにN2This page

"Precisely because …, all the more". Good or bad, and often a feeling made stronger. A let-down takes only だけに.

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.

Where there is something to admire, either can be said. だけあって is the more openly admiring.

高こう級きゅうホテルだけに、サービスがすばらしい。

It is a luxury hotel, so naturally the service is wonderful.

Close neighbours

だけ + にN5

Plain "only" that happens to meet the particle に: "only to", "only in".

彼かれだけに秘ひ密みつを話はなしました。

I told the secret only to him.

からこそN3

It singles out the reason: this is exactly why. だけに is about how much stronger the result is.

好すきだからこそ、厳きびしく言いうんです。

It's because I care about you that I'm so hard on you.

相あい手てが相あい手てだけにN1

The noun said twice: "given who it is", "given the timing".

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.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

自じ信しんがあった（　　）、不ふ合ごう格かくのショックは大おおきかった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

苦く労ろうしただけに、合ごう格かくの喜よろこびも大おおきかった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

それだけに opens a sentence: "which is exactly why …, all the more".

彼かれはチームの中ちゅう心しん選せん手しゅだ。それだけに、けがで出でられないのは痛いたい。

He is the team's key player. Which is exactly why losing him to injury hurts so much.

More sentences

前まえ評ひょう判ばんが高たかかっただけに、実じっ際さいの内ない容ようにはがっかりした。

It had been talked up so much beforehand that the real thing was all the more of a let-down.

評ひょう判ばんが良よかっただけに、料りょう理りが冷さめて出でてきたのは残ざん念ねんだった。

The place had such a good name that it was all the more of a shame when the food came out cold.

彼かれは現げん場ば経けい験けんが長ながいだけに、判はん断だんが速はやく的てき確かくだ。

With his long experience on the ground, his decisions are quick and sound, as you'd expect.

この作さ業ぎょうは複ふく雑ざつなだけに、確かく認にんには十じゅう分ぶんな時じ間かんをかけたい。

This job is complicated, which is exactly why I want to leave plenty of time for checking.

彼かれは責せき任にん者しゃであるだけに、発はつ言げんの影えい響きょうをよく考かんがえる必ひつ要ようがある。

Precisely because he is the one in charge, he has to think hard about the effect of what he says.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "because" beyond から and ので