よる

よ

る

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

よる · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	よる	よらない
Polite	よります	よりません
Past polite	よりました	よりませんでした
Past	よった	よらなかった
Te-form	よって	よらないで
Desire	よりたい	よりたくない
Potential	よれる	よれない
Passive	よられる	よられない
Causative	よらせる	よらせない
Causative passive	よらせられるalso よらされる	よらせられないalso よらされない
Volitional	よろう
Polite volitional	よりましょう
Imperative	よれ	よるな
Conditional	よれば	よらなければ
Tara conditional	よったら	よらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be due to; be caused by

usually written using kana alone

Commonly used after に to mark a cause or reason: Xによる means that something is due to X or caused by X. The kanji 依る and 拠る can be used for nuance, but kana is the normal spelling.

火か事じは漏ろう電でんによるものだった。
The fire was due to an electrical short.
この差さは年ねん齢れいによるものではない。
This difference is not caused by age.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

depend on; turn on; be determined by

usually written using kana alone

Used when the result, answer, or decision depends on a condition or factor. Very common in patterns such as 場合による and Nによって違う.

行いくかどうかは天てん気きによる。
Whether I go depends on the weather.
それは場ば合あいによる。
It depends on the situation.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be based on; come from; derive from

usually written using kana alone

Marks a source, basis, or origin, as when a story is based on real events or a name comes from something. The rare kanji 因る or 由る can make the origin nuance clearer.

この映えい画がは実じつ話わによっている。
This film is based on a true story.
その地ち名めいは古ふるい伝でん説せつに由よる。
That place name comes from an old legend.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be based at; be headquartered at

usually written using kana alone

Formal written use for being based in a location or organization. 拠る is the clarifying kanji, though It is usually written in kana; modern Japanese often uses expressions such as 拠点を置く for the same idea.

京きょう都とに拠よる研けん究きゅうチームが調ちょう査さを行おこなった。
A research team based in Kyoto conducted the survey.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉によって〈結けっ果か〉が変かわるthe result changes depending on X
天てん気きによって計けい画かくが変かわる。
The plan changes depending on the weather.
場ば合あいによるit depends on the situation
行いけるかどうかは場ば合あいによる。
Whether I can go depends on the situation.
〈人ひと〉によって意い見けんが違ちがうopinions differ depending on the person
この問もん題だいについては人ひとによって意い見けんが違ちがう。
Opinions on this issue differ from person to person.
〈作さく品ひん〉は〈事じ実じつ〉によるa work is based on a true story/fact
このドラマは実じつ話わによる。
This drama is based on a true story.

Expressions

によるby means of; due to; because of; according to
によるとaccording to
輔ほ車しゃ相あい依よるto be mutually dependent

Kanji

依reliant, depend on, consequently
拠foothold, based on, follow
因cause, factor, be associated with
由wherefore, a reason

Related words

基もとづくN3sense 1
基づく explicitly states that something is grounded in evidence, rules, or a stated source, whereas よる is broader and often just marks a cause or dependency in the pattern Nによる.
依い存ぞんN2sense 2
依存する expresses a stronger, more concrete reliance on something (like depending on aid or a substance), while よる is used more loosely for factors that determine an outcome, as in 場合による.
由ゆ来らいN2sense 3
由来する focuses on tracing the historical or etymological origin of something, while よる (in 実話によるドラマ etc.) more generally marks what a work or fact is based on.
立りっ脚きゃくN1
拠る is a plain, versatile verb meaning 'to be based on' or 'to depend on,' while 立脚 is a stiffer, more academic term reserved for theories or policies.

Don't confuse with

寄よるN4
寄る (よる) means to stop by, approach, or gather near, a completely different verb from 依る (よる) 'to be due to/depend on' that happens to share the same kana spelling.

Written forms

よるUsage99%
All senses are usually written in kana. This verb is very often seen in forms such as による, によって, and によっては.
依よるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling. It especially suits meanings involving dependence or something being due to something else.
拠よるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling. It especially suits meanings involving basis, grounds, or being based at a place.
因よるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling. It especially points to cause, basis, or origin.
由よるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling. It especially points to origin or source.

Etymology

A native Japanese verb. The kanji spellings 依る, 因る, 拠る, and 由る are semantic spellings that highlight dependence, cause, basis, or origin, but the marks them rare and the word is normally written in kana.