〜をひかえて (~o hikaete) — with ~ coming up soon
Shows the state of a person or place when a big event — an exam, a wedding, an opening — is just round the corner.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
December's JLPT is only a week away. The library is silent, every face serious. In Japanese that scene is: 「試験を一週間後にひかえて、図書館は学生でいっぱいだ」.
Meaning
「ひかえる」means 'to have something waiting close by', so the feeling of 「〜をひかえて」is: an important, already-scheduled event is right at the door, and this is the state of the person or place at that moment.
How to attach
- Attach 「をひかえて」after a noun; to say how much time is left, put the time in the middle: 「Nを＋時間＋にひかえて」(試験を明日にひかえて).
- Before a noun it becomes 「〜をひかえた N」(卒業をひかえた学生).
- It is also written in kanji as 「控えて」.
Versus what you know
N2「〜に先立って」shows one preparatory act done before an event (開店に先立ち説明会を開く); 「ひかえて」shows the pressure of the approaching event and the mood around it — nerves, busyness, getting ready.
Watch out
Key rule: N must be a scheduled event that is coming soon — 試験・結婚式・出発・選挙・開業. Something already over, or something sudden (地震), doesn't fit.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
日本語能力試験を来週にひかえて、毎晩遅くまで勉強している。
にほんごのうりょくしけんをらいしゅうにひかえて、まいばんおそくまでべんきょうしている。
With the JLPT coming up next week, I'm studying late every night.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 日本語能力試験 = JLPT (N) → 「を」 → 来週に = next week (the time left) → 「ひかえて」= as it draws near → then the situation at that time: 毎晩遅くまで勉強している.
結婚式をひかえた姉は、毎日準備に追われている。
けっこんしきをひかえたあねは、まいにちじゅんびにおわれている。
My sister, with her wedding coming up, is swamped with preparations every day.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 結婚式 = wedding (N) → 「をひかえた」= the form used before a noun → 姉 = older sister (the sister whose wedding is near) → then the situation: 準備に追われている = swamped with preparations.
開業を三日後にひかえて、店では最後の準備が進められている。
かいぎょうをみっかごにひかえて、みせではさいごのじゅんびがすすめられている。
With the opening just three days away, final preparations are under way at the shop.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 開業 = opening the business (N) → 「を」 → 三日後に = three days from now (the time left) → 「ひかえて」 → then the mood at that time: 最後の準備が進められている (news style).
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「面接を明日＿＿ひかえて、何度も練習した。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Which particle marks the time in the middle?
N を + time + に + ひかえて. 面接を明日にひかえて = with the interview tomorrow.
In which sentence is 「をひかえて」unnatural?
💡 Hint: A scheduled event still to come, or something already past?
をひかえて = when a scheduled event is approaching. Last year's earthquake is past and was sudden, so it doesn't fit.
「結婚式を来月に＿＿、二人は毎日準備に追われている。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: What follows 「Nを＋時間＋に」?
「Nを来月にひかえて」= with it coming next month. 先立って and 先駆けて attach with 「に」, not 「Nを〜に」; 経て is for a process already gone through.
Your score: /3