〜によって (~ni yotte) — depending on / due to / by
One phrase, three jobs — "varies with", "caused by" and "by means of".
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
Meaning
- 「〜によって」carries three meanings, and the exam expects you to tell them apart.
- First and most common: variation — 「国によって、習慣が違う」= customs differ from country to country.
- Words like 違う and いろいろだ usually follow.
- Second: cause — 「地震によって、多くの家が壊れた」= many houses were destroyed by the earthquake (formal).
- Third: means — 「話し合いによって解決した」= it was settled through discussion.
How to attach
Before a noun it becomes 「〜による N」.
Versus what you know
N4The passive "by" you learned in N4 (「〜によって作られた」) belongs to the same family.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
国によって、習慣が違う。
くにによって、しゅうかんがちがう。
Customs differ from country to country.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 国 is a noun → attach によって straight to it → then 違う comes after → so here it means 'differs depending on'.
地震によって、多くの家が壊れた。
じしんによって、おおくのいえがこわれた。
Many houses were destroyed by the earthquake.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 地震 is a noun → attach によって → the result comes after → here it marks the cause (formal style).
話し合いによって、問題が解決した。
はなしあいによって、もんだいがかいけつした。
The problem was solved through discussion.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 話し合い is a noun → attach によって → it shows the means: 'how it was solved'.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「人＿、考え方が違う。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: 違う follows.
N + によって + 違う = it varies with N.
Which form goes before a noun?
💡 Hint: 「地震＿ひがい」
N + による + N (地震による被害).
In 「話し合いによって解決した」, what does によって mean?
💡 Hint: How was it solved?
Here it marks the means — through discussion.
Your score: /3