〜べくして
bekushite
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
as was bound to …; inevitably …
〜べくして repeats the same verb: 起こるべくして起こった (it happened as it was bound to happen). It says the result was natural and inevitable given the causes: the accident was waiting to happen, the win was deserved, the meeting was destiny.
Literary and journalistic writing, also in commentary and speeches. It gives a verdict after the event: nothing surprising, the outcome was built into the situation. Common verbs: 起こる・勝つ・負ける・出会う・売れる・なる.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
Vる + べくして + Vた (the same verb)する → すべくして したOften with のだ: 〜べくして〜たのだ
Visual diagram
- この事故はtopic
- 起こるverb (dictionary form)
- べくしてas was bound to
- 起こったsame verb (past)
Natural examples
この事故は起こるべくして起こった。
このじこはおこるべくしておこった。
This accident happened as it was bound to happen.
起こるべくして起こった: the causes made the accident inevitable. Used in accident analysis.
彼は勝つべくして勝った。
かれはかつべくしてかった。
He won because he deserved to win.
勝つべくして勝った: a deserved win. Sports commentary.
二人は出会うべくして出会ったのだ。
ふたりはであうべくしてであったのだ。
The two of them were destined to meet.
出会うべくして出会った: a meeting felt as destiny.
この商品は売れるべくして売れたと言えるだろう。
このしょうひんはうれるべくしてうれたといえるだろう。
One can say this product sold as it was bound to sell.
Praise for a well-designed product.
準備不足のチームは、負けるべくして負けた。
じゅんびぶそくのチームは、まけるべくしてまけた。
The unprepared team lost as they were bound to lose.
Critical verdict: the loss was deserved.
Similar grammar and the difference
The purpose form ("in order to"). べくして is a different, fixed construction that repeats the verb. Compare side by side
"So that is why": a conclusion that follows naturally, but it does not carry the sense of destiny or desert. Compare side by side
"It is bound to be": a confident prediction before the fact, whereas べくして is a verdict after the fact. Compare side by side
Common mistakes
- ✗
- この事故は起こるべくして起きた。
- ✓
- この事故は起こるべくして起こった。
- Why
- The same verb should be repeated; mixing 起こる and 起きる breaks the pattern.
- ✗
- 彼は勝つべくして勝つだろう。
- ✓
- 彼は勝つべくして勝った。
- Why
- べくして is a verdict on a result that has already happened; use the past tense.
- ✗
- 彼は成功すべくして、努力した。
- ✓
- 彼は成功すべく、努力した。
- Why
- For "in order to", use べく. べくして needs the same verb repeated.
The phrase implies causes were present all along: neglect leads to accidents, effort leads to victory. Used both for praise (勝つべくして勝った) and criticism (起こるべくして起こった). Because it is a set frame, learners should memorise it with two or three verbs.
JLPT N1 tips
On the exam
- When the same verb appears before and after the blank (起こる___起こった), the answer is べくして.
- Distractors: べく, べくもなく, べからず. Only べくして fits the repeated-verb frame.
- In 並べ替え, the chunks are typically Vる + べくして and Vた; put them adjacent.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜べくして mean?
as was bound to …; inevitably …. 〜べくして repeats the same verb: 起こるべくして起こった (it happened as it was bound to happen). It says the result was natural and inevitable given the causes: the accident was waiting to happen, the win was deserved, the meeting was destiny.
How do you form 〜べくして?
Vる + べくして + Vた (the same verb) / する → すべくして した / Often with のだ: 〜べくして〜たのだ. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜べくして used?
Literary and journalistic writing, also in commentary and speeches. It gives a verdict after the event: nothing surprising, the outcome was built into the situation. Common verbs: 起こる・勝つ・負ける・出会う・売れる・なる.
What is the difference between 〜べくして and 〜べく?
The purpose form ("in order to"). べくして is a different, fixed construction that repeats the verb.
What is the difference between 〜べくして and 〜わけだ?
"So that is why": a conclusion that follows naturally, but it does not carry the sense of destiny or desert.
What is a common mistake with 〜べくして?
Wrong: この事故は起こるべくして起きた。 Right: この事故は起こるべくして起こった。 The same verb should be repeated; mixing 起こる and 起きる breaks the pattern.
Quick check
安全対策を怠っていたのだから、この火災は起こる（ ）起こったと言える。