〜べくして (~beku shite) — (happened) as it was bound to
The causes were already there, so the result is no surprise — the same verb twice.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
After a big accident an expert on the news says: 「点検を怠っていたのだから、この事故は起こるべくして起こった」— 'They had skipped the inspections, so this accident was bound to happen, and it did.'
Meaning
- The 「べく」here comes from old 「べし」, meaning 'it is natural that'. So 「AべくしてAた」says the causes had already piled up, so the result was no chance or luck — what had to happen, happened.
- The result can be bad (起こるべくして起こった事故) or good (勝つべくして勝った).
How to attach
To attach: dictionary form + 「べくして」+ the same verb in た-form; する becomes 「すべくして」(失敗すべくして失敗した).
Versus what you know
- The 「べく」you learned earlier (合格するべく勉強する = study in order to pass) is purpose — this is not that.
- 「当然だ」and 「はずだ」also say 'natural', but 「べくして」repeats the same verb and sounds like a firm verdict: 'looking at the causes, this was certain'.
Watch out
The key rule: the verb before and after must be exactly the same (「負けるべくして勝った」is impossible), and it is used looking back at something that already happened — in news, sports commentary and articles.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
点検を怠っていたのだから、この事故は起こるべくして起こったと言える。
てんけんをおこたっていたのだから、このじこはおこるべくしておこったといえる。
Since inspections had been neglected, you could say this accident was bound to happen.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 点検を怠る = to neglect inspections (the cause) → 起こる = to happen (the event) → we attach 「べくして」 → the same verb again: 起こった → "it was bound to happen, and it did" → 「と言える」= you can say.
毎日誰よりも練習していた彼女は、勝つべくして勝ったのだ。
まいにちだれよりもれんしゅうしていたかのじょは、かつべくしてかったのだ。
She practiced harder than anyone every day — she was bound to win, and she did.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 誰よりも練習していた = practiced more than anyone (the cause) → 勝つ = to win → 「べくして」 → the same verb: 勝った → it can be a good result too: she won through hard work, not luck.
市場調査もせずに始めた新事業は、失敗すべくして失敗した。
しじょうちょうさもせずにはじめたしんじぎょうは、しっぱいすべくしてしっぱいした。
The new business, started without even a market survey, failed as it was bound to.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 市場調査もせずに = without even a market survey (the cause) → 失敗する = to fail → it's a する verb, so 「すべくして」 → the same verb: 失敗した → the result is no surprise.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「安全確認を怠っていた以上、事故は起こる__起こったのだ。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: The same verb appears twice.
Dictionary form + べくして + the same verb in た-form = it happened as it was bound to. 「べく」is purpose, 「べからず」is a prohibition, 「べくもない」is 'no way' — none fit here.
Which sentence is wrong?
💡 Hint: Look at the verbs before and after.
べくして needs exactly the same verb before and after. 負ける and 勝つ are different verbs, so the sentence breaks.
「優勝する__、チーム全員が毎日練習を重ねている。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Here it is 'in order to win' — a purpose, not a past result.
Purpose = 「べく」(優勝するべく = in order to win the title). 「べくして」needs the same verb's past result after it, and 「べし」「べからず」don't sit in the middle of a sentence.
Your score: /3