〜をいいことに (~o ii koto ni) — taking (unfair) advantage of ~
Using someone's absence, kindness or weakness as a 'chance' to do as you please — a critical tone.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
The shop manager is on a day off. That day some part-timers stop working and chat all day. A coworker says, annoyed: 「店長が休みなのをいいことに、ずっとおしゃべりしている」.
Meaning
「いいこと」= 'a good thing', but here it means treating a situation as a 'convenient chance' and using it to do something bad or selfish.
How to attach
Attach 「をいいことに」straight after a noun; after a clause add 「の」(誰も見ていないのをいいことに); after a な-adjective or a noun describing a state, use 「なの」(留守なのをいいことに).
Versus what you know
- N2「〜をきっかけに」and the earlier 「〜を機に」are also 'chances', but they are for a new start, usually a change for the better (就職を機に貯金を始めた)
- 「をいいことに」always heads toward something people dislike — slacking, cheating, doing whatever you want.
- It also differs from 「〜にかこつけて」in the previous lesson: that is making up a false excuse, while this is abusing a convenient situation that really exists.
Watch out
The key rule: what follows is a bad act someone does on purpose, and it usually criticises another person's behaviour; it doesn't fit a good act or something that just happens by itself (rain, a delay).
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
店長が休みなのをいいことに、アルバイトたちはずっとおしゃべりしていた。
てんちょうがやすみなのをいいことに、アルバイトたちはずっとおしゃべりしていた。
Taking advantage of the manager's day off, the part-timers chatted the whole time.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 店長が休み = the manager is off → it's a noun describing a situation, so 「なの」: 休みなの → 「をいいことに」= taking advantage of that chance → then the bad behavior: chatting instead of working.
大家は、私が日本の習慣をよく知らないのをいいことに、高い手数料を取った。
おおやは、わたしがにほんのしゅうかんをよくしらないのをいいことに、たかいてすうりょうをとった。
Taking advantage of my not knowing Japanese customs well, the landlord charged me a high fee.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 日本の習慣をよく知らない = don't know Japanese customs well (a clause) → 「の」 turned it into a noun → 「をいいことに」= taking advantage of the weak spot → then the selfish act: 高い手数料を取った.
親が何も言わないのをいいことに、弟は毎晩遅くまでゲームをしている。
おやがなにもいわないのをいいことに、おとうとはまいばんおそくまでゲームをしている。
Taking advantage of our parents saying nothing, my little brother plays games late every night.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 親が何も言わない = our parents say nothing → 「の」 → 「をいいことに」= taking advantage of that freedom → then doing as he pleases: gaming late every night.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「上司が出張中な＿＿いいことに、彼は毎日早く帰っている。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Which particle comes before 「いいことに」?
N + な + の + をいいことに. 出張中なのをいいことに = taking advantage of the boss being away.
In which sentence is 「をいいことに」unnatural?
💡 Hint: Is what follows something someone does on purpose?
をいいことに needs a bad act someone does on purpose after it. 'The match was cancelled' just happened — say 「大雨で」or 「大雨のため」there.
「転職を＿＿、たばこをやめた。」— which is right?
💡 Hint: A good new start, or an unfair advantage?
転職を機に = taking the job change as a chance (a good start). 「をいいことに」is only followed by something bad, and quitting smoking is good. 「をものともせずに」is for overcoming difficulty, 「はばからずに」for saying things openly.
Your score: /3