JLPT N2Written and spokenMostly unwelcome

一いっ方ぽうだkeeps rising, falling or getting worse

A change keeps going in one direction and shows no sign of stopping. It is mostly a change nobody wants: prices up, numbers down.

給きゅう料りょうは変かわらないのに、物ぶっ価かは上あがる一いっ方ぽうだ。

My pay hasn't changed, yet prices just keep going up.

How to form it

Verb for a change, in the dictionary form + 一いっ方ぽうだ

Polite 一いっ方ぽうです, past 一いっ方ぽうだった. An adjective needs なる: 悪わるくなる一いっ方ぽうだ. It usually ends the sentence. In the middle of one, 一いっ方ぽう（で） is a different expression: "on the other hand".

Before it: A change that goes on by degrees: 増ふえる, 減へる, 上あがる, 下さがる, 悪わるくなる, 進すすむ, たまる.
Where you'll meet it: News, reports and essays, and everyday grumbles about work, money and health.

In use

過か去こ五ご年ねん間かん、地ち方ほう鉄てつ道どうの利り用よう者しゃは年ねん々ねん減げん少しょうする一いっ方ぽうだ。

Over the past five years, the number of people using local rail lines has kept falling year after year.

残ざん業ぎょうが続つづいて、疲つかれはたまる一いっ方ぽうだ。

With all the overtime, I just keep getting more worn out.

再さい開かい発はつが始はじまるまでの十じゅう年ねん間かん、市し内ないの空あき家やは増ふえる一いっ方ぽうだった。

In the ten years before redevelopment began, the number of empty houses in the city just kept growing.

一いっ方ぽうだ or ばかりだ?

仕し事ごとは増ふえる一いっ方ぽうだ。

The work keeps piling up.

A little stiffer: it states the trend.

仕し事ごとは増ふえるばかりだ。

The work just keeps piling up.

The same meaning, with more of a sigh in it.

A change, not something you keep doing

English "keeps …ing" is said of both. 一いっ方ぽうだ needs a change that can go further and further. Doing one thing again and again is てばかりいる.

Not said: 弟おとうとは毎まい日にちゲームをする一いっ方ぽうだ。

(My little brother keeps playing games every day.)

ゲームをしてばかりいる.

Close neighbours

ばかりだN3

The same meaning, a little less stiff: the voice of someone worried or fed up.

物ぶっ価かは毎まい月つき上あがるばかりだ。

Prices just keep going up every month.

一方（で）N3

"On the other hand": a second side follows it. 一いっ方ぽうだ has only the one.

会かい社しゃの売うり上あげはこの三さん年ねん間かん伸のびている一いっ方ぽうで、利り益えき率りつは年ねん々ねん下さがっている。

The company's sales have grown over the past three years, while its profit margin has fallen year by year.

つつあるN2

It only says that a change is under way, welcome or not. 一いっ方ぽうだ adds that it keeps going one way, with no end in sight.

景けい気きは緩ゆるやかに回かい復ふくしつつある。

The economy is gradually recovering.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

一ひと人り暮ぐらしの高こう齢れい者しゃは増ふえる一いっ方ぽうだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Now and then the change is a welcome one. 一いっ方ぽうだ takes one a little more readily than ばかりだ does:

発はつ売ばいから一いち年ねんたっても、この商しょう品ひんの人にん気きは高たかまる一いっ方ぽうだ。

A year after it went on sale, this product just keeps getting more popular.

More sentences

過か去こ十じゅう年ねん間かん、都と市し部ぶの家や賃ちんは上じょう昇しょうする一いっ方ぽうだ。

For the past ten years, rents in the cities have done nothing but rise.

ここ半はん年とし、問とい合あわせ件けん数すうは月つきごとに増ぞう加かする一いっ方ぽうです。

For the past six months, the number of enquiries has kept going up month after month.