〜を機に (~o ki ni) — taking ~ as an opportunity

Using a turning point in life as the chance to start something new.

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

N N + を機に

Verb Vた + の + を機に

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

When to use it

After landing a job in Japan, many friends say: 「就職を機に、日本語の勉強を本気で始めた」.
It is a little formal and used for big turning points — a company anniversary, retirement, a child's birth.

Meaning

機 means 'chance'.
「〜を機に」takes a turning point in life (a job, marriage, moving house, retirement) as a good opportunity and says 'I am starting something new, by my own choice'.
What follows is your own decision or step: 〜ことにした・〜始めた・〜しよう.

How to attach

N + を機に
For a verb clause, make it a noun with 「の」: 退職したのを機に
「を機にして」is also said with the same meaning.

Versus what you know

The previous point, 「を境に」, was only about before vs after, and could be followed by a state that changed by itself (疲れやすくなった).
N2It is close to 「〜をきっかけに」, but a きっかけ can be pure chance (たまたま見た映画がきっかけで…); 「を機に」is a little more formal.

Watch out

It is not used when a bad result simply happened (× 事故を機に足が悪くなった).

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

結婚を機に、タバコをきっぱりやめた。

けっこんをきに、タバコをきっぱりやめた。

I took getting married as my chance to quit smoking for good.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 結婚 = marriage (a turning point in life) → 「を機に」 = making it the opportunity → then the speaker's own decision: タバコをきっぱりやめた (I quit smoking completely).

会社の創立30周年を機に、社内のルールを大きく見直した。

かいしゃのそうりつ30しゅうねんをきに、しゃないのルールをおおきくみなおした。

The company took its 30th anniversary as an opportunity to overhaul its internal rules.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 創立30周年 = the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding → 「を機に」 → then a deliberate step: ルールを大きく見直した (overhauled the rules).

定年退職したのを機に、ネパールで小さな学校を開いた。

ていねんたいしょくしたのをきに、ネパールでちいさながっこうをひらいた。

When I retired, I took the chance to open a small school in Nepal.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 定年退職した = retired (a verb) → 「の」 turns it into a noun: 退職したの → 「を機に」 → then a new start: 学校を開いた (opened a school).

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

「会社を辞めた＿＿機に、ネパールへ帰った。」— fill the blank.

💡 Hint: Turn the verb into a noun, then the particle.