JLPT N3Written, formalPrice lists, signs

につきper; because of (on notices)

Two unrelated jobs, both mostly written. After a number and its unit it is "per": 一人ひとりにつき千せん円えん. After a noun on a sign or a notice it is "because of": 工こう事じ中ちゅうにつき.

per

入にゅう場じょう料りょうは一人ひとりにつき千せん円えんです。

Admission is 1,000 yen per person.

because of

設せつ備び点てん検けんにつき、本ほん日じつは午ご後ご五ご時じで閉へい館かんいたします。

Due to an equipment inspection, the building will close at 5 p.m. today.

Per

Number + unit + につき + amount or limit

一人ひとりにつき, 一いっ回かいにつき, 一いち台だいにつき, 百ひゃく円えんにつき.

Because of

Noun + につき + what is closed or changed

Straight after the noun, with no の: 工こう事じ中ちゅうにつき, 定てい休きゅう日びにつき, 悪あく天てん候こうにつき.

Per: price lists and rules

You read it on price lists, coupons, point cards and forms, and staff say it when they state a rule.

駐ちゅう車しゃ料りょう金きんは一いち台だいにつき五ご百ひゃく円えんです。

Parking is 500 yen per vehicle.

このクーポンは一いっ回かいの会かい計けいにつき一いち枚まいまで使し用ようできます。

You can use one of these coupons per purchase.

百ひゃく円えんにつき一いちポイントが付つきます。

You earn one point for every 100 yen.

につき or 当あたり?

この駐ちゅう車しゃ場じょうの料りょう金きんは、一いち時じ間かんにつき三さん百びゃく円えんです。

Parking here costs 300 yen per hour.

Stiffer, as on the sign: a price or a limit someone has set.

この駐ちゅう車しゃ場じょうの料りょう金きんは、一いち時じ間かん当あたり三さん百びゃく円えんです。

Parking here costs 300 yen per hour.

Plainer, and fine in speech: a rate, or an average you work out.

A limit in a rule is 一人ひとりにつき一いち枚まいまで. An average is 一人ひとり当あたり平へい均きん三さん冊さつ. In everyday talk people often use neither: 一いち時じ間かん三さん百びゃく円えん.

Because of: signs and notices

This is how a shop, a station or an office tells the public why something is closed, changed or canceled. You read it; you hardly ever hear it.

工こう事じ中ちゅうにつき、通つう行こう止どめ。

Road closed for construction.

本ほん日じつは定てい休きゅう日びにつき、休やすませていただきます。

We are closed today for our regular day off.

ご好こう評ひょうにつき、展てん示じ期き間かんを一いっ週しゅう間かん延えん長ちょういたします。

By popular demand, the exhibition will run for one more week.

The reason can be good news.

Said to a person, it sounds like a notice read aloud. In conversation the word is ので.

Sounds odd: 風邪かぜにつき、今日きょうは休やすみます。

I'm taking today off because of a cold.

To a person: 風邪かぜなので、今日きょうは休やすみます.

Close neighbours

当あたりN3

The plain "per", and the word for an average.

食しょく事じ代だいは一人ひとり当あたり三さん千ぜん円えんだった。

The meal came to 3,000 yen per person.

ずつN3

The amount each one really gets or does: two each, one at a time. につき only states the rate.

参さん加か者しゃに資し料りょうを二に枚まいずつ配くばりました。

We gave each participant two handouts.

ためN4

The other "because" of notices, and the one you hear in announcements. After a noun it takes の.

工こう事じのため、この道みちは通とおれません。

This road is closed for construction work.

についてN3

"About". On a shop's notice, につきましては is just a polite については.

予よ約やくの変へん更こうにつきましては、受うけ付つけまでお問とい合あわせください。

For changes to your reservation, please contact reception.

Check yourself

1In which sentence is につき "because of"?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Your teacher asks why you didn't buy the book. Which do you say?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

申しん請せいは一いっ世せ帯たいにつき一いっ件けんまでとします。

Applications are limited to one per household.

印いん刷さつ代だいは一いちページにつき十じゅう円えんかかります。

Printing costs ten yen per page.

入にゅう場じょう券けん一いち枚まいにつき、記き念ねん品ひんを一ひとつお渡わたしします。

You will receive one souvenir per admission ticket.

悪あく天てん候こうにつき、本ほん日じつの屋おく外がい公こう演えんは中ちゅう止しとなりました。

Due to bad weather, today's outdoor performance has been canceled.

システム障しょう害がいにつき、一いち部ぶのサービスを停てい止ししております。

Due to a system failure, some services are currently suspended.

応おう募ぼ多た数すうにつき、受うけ付つけを予よ定ていより早はやく終しゅう了りょういたしました。

Because so many people applied, registration closed earlier than planned.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "because" beyond から and ので