行いきがかり上じょう

also: ゆきがかりじょう

Meanings

by force of circumstance; given the circumstances

Used when a situation or action is unavoidable or determined by the way things have developed, often implying a reluctant or passive acceptance. Functions as an adverbial phrase.

行いきがかり上じょう、彼かれの提てい案あんを受うけ入いれざるを得えなかった。
Given the circumstances, I had no choice but to accept his proposal.
行いきがかり上じょう、そう言いうしかなかった。
By force of circumstance, I had to say that.

Kanji

行going, journey, carry out
上above, up
掛hang, suspend, depend

Related words

成なり行ゆき上じょう
Similar meaning 'as things turned out' or 'in the course of events', but 成り行き上 emphasizes the natural progression of events, while 行きがかり上 stresses the compelling force of the circumstances that have built up.
勢いきおいで
Means 'on impulse' or 'by momentum', often used for actions taken spontaneously under the flow of the moment. 行きがかり上 is more about being bound by the situation rather than acting on impulse.

Built from

行いきがかり+上じょう

Written forms

行きがかり上
- いきがかりじょう
  Standard kanji spelling using 行きがかり (circumstances) + 上 (in terms of).
- ゆきがかりじょう
行き掛かり上
- いきがかりじょう
  Variant using 掛 for がかり; less common but still seen.
- ゆきがかりじょう
行き掛り上
- いきがかりじょう
  Variant with 掛り; rare and somewhat dated.
- ゆきがかりじょう
ゆきがかり上じょう
Alternate reading ゆきがかりじょう; less common than いきがかりじょう.
ゆきがかりじょう

Etymology

Compound of 行きがかり (circumstances, the way things have developed) + 上 (in terms of, from the standpoint of). The reading いきがかりじょう is standard; ゆきがかりじょう is a less common variant.