In contrast to: 〜にひきかえ
Noun + にひきかえ ／ clause + のにひきかえ ／ それにひきかえ
A にひきかえ B: “whereas A…, B…”, a contrast between two things of the same kind, with a judgement. After a clause: のにひきかえ.
In short
〜にひきかえ sets two things of the same kind against each other (two brothers, two summers, two bosses), highlighting the contrast, almost always with a judgement: one is good, the other far less so. “Whereas A…, B…”. Written register, but also heard in careful speech.
- 兄が真面目なのにひきかえ、弟は遊んでばかりいる。あにがまじめなのにひきかえ、おとうとはあそんでばかりいる。Whereas the older brother is conscientious, the younger one does nothing but have fun.
- 去年の猛暑にひきかえ、今年の夏はずいぶん過ごしやすい。きょねんのもうしょにひきかえ、ことしのなつはずいぶんすごしやすい。Unlike last year's heatwave, this summer has been much more bearable.
- 前の店長にひきかえ、今度の店長はアルバイトの意見によく耳を傾ける。まえのてんちょうにひきかえ、こんどのてんちょうはあるばいとのいけんによくみみをかたむける。In contrast to the previous manager, the new one really listens to the part-timers' opinions.
The basics
ひきかえる (引き換える) means “to exchange”. So 〜にひきかえ puts two things face to face, as if on the two pans of a pair of scales, to show that they contrast.
It isn't a detached comparison: the speaker takes sides. Most often, A is positive and B negative (or vice versa), and you can feel admiration, disappointment or reproach — like English “whereas”, “by contrast”, said with feeling.
Whereas the older brother is conscientious, the younger one does nothing but have fun.
- noun
- adjective
- grammatical form
- verb
- にぎやかな表通りにひきかえ、一本裏に入ると驚くほど静かだ。にぎやかなおもてどおりにひきかえ、いっぽんうらにはいるとおどろくほどしずかだ。In contrast to the bustling main street, step into the side street behind and it's astonishingly quiet.
How to form it
After a noun, directly: 去年にひきかえ. After a clause, nominalise it with の: 兄が真面目なのにひきかえ (な-adjective + な, noun + な, verb or い-adjective in the plain form). At the start of a sentence, それにひきかえ picks up what has just been said.
| Construction | Example |
|---|---|
| Noun + にひきかえ | 去年にひきかえ |
| Verb / い-adj + のにひきかえ | 姉がよく働くのにひきかえ |
| な-adj + な + のにひきかえ | 兄が真面目なのにひきかえ |
| Noun + な + のにひきかえ | 父が医者なのにひきかえ |
| それにひきかえ、〜 | それにひきかえ、うちの子は |
- 昨日の大雨にひきかえ、今日は雲ひとつない晴天だ。きのうのおおあめにひきかえ、きょうはくもひとつないせいてんだ。After yesterday's downpour, today there isn't a cloud in the sky.
- 彼は約束の時間に必ず来る。それにひきかえ、私はいつも遅れてしまう。かれはやくそくのじかんにかならずくる。それにひきかえ、わたしはいつもおくれてしまう。He always turns up on time. I, on the other hand, am always late.
にひきかえ, に対して, 反面, とは逆に
〜に対して (N3) contrasts two facts objectively, as in a report: 東京は晴れなのに対して、京都は雨だ. 〜反面 (N2) describes two sides of the same thing (この薬はよく効く反面、副作用も強い). 〜とは逆に stresses a trend going the opposite way. 〜にひきかえ compares two distinct things, with a judgement.
| Expression | What's contrasted | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 〜にひきかえ | two distinct things of the same kind | subjective, judgemental |
| 〜に対して | two facts | objective |
| 〜反面 | two sides of the same thing | neutral |
| 〜とは逆に | two trends | neutral |
- この薬はよく効く反面、副作用も強い。このくすりはよくきくはんめん、ふくさようもつよい。This medicine works well, but it also has strong side effects. (反面: one and the same thing)
- 輸出が増えたのに対して、輸入は減少した。ゆしゅつがふえたのにたいして、ゆにゅうはげんしょうした。Exports rose, whereas imports fell. (objective observation)
Common mistakes
- Using it for two sides of the same thing: for “effective but with side effects”, it's 反面.
- Forgetting の after a clause: 兄が真面目なのにひきかえ, not “兄が真面目にひきかえ”.
- Using it in a neutral report: 〜に対して is better when you don't want to judge.
8 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Tōhoku Line (The essay and the travel account) of the Shinkansen.