〜にかまけて

being so taken up with … (that one neglects something else)

〜にかまけて says a person was so busy with or absorbed in X that they neglected something more important. かまける means "to be preoccupied". The second half of the sentence always shows the neglect: not making time for family, letting studies slide. The tone is regretful or critical.

Both spoken and written Japanese, often in reflections and mild self-criticism (仕事にかまけて…). Typical X: 仕事・遊び・恋愛・趣味・雑事・目の前のこと. Always negative in judgment; you cannot use it for something you are proud of doing.

• N + にかまけて + (neglect clause)
• N + にかまけている / かまけていた (sentence-final, "is wrapped up in")
• Typical nouns: 仕事・遊び・部活・恋愛・忙しさ・日々の雑事

1. 01

   仕事にかまけて、家族との時間を取れなかった。

   しごとにかまけて、かぞくとのじかんをとれなかった。

   Absorbed in work, I could not make time for my family.

   A classic self-reproach: work took over, family was neglected.

2. 02

   遊びにかまけて、勉強をおろそかにしてしまった。

   あそびにかまけて、べんきょうをおろそかにしてしまった。

   Preoccupied with having fun, I neglected my studies.

   遊び + にかまけて + neglecting study is the textbook pairing.

3. 03

   日々の雑事にかまけて、大切なことを忘れがちだ。

   ひびのざつじにかまけて、たいせつなことをわすれがちだ。

   Caught up in daily chores, we tend to forget what matters.

   雑事 (chores) is a common X; the neglected thing is 大切なこと.

4. 04

   部活にかまけて、進路のことを真剣に考えてこなかった。

   ぶかつにかまけて、しんろのことをしんけんにかんがえてこなかった。

   I was so wrapped up in club activities that I never thought seriously about my future.

   The neglected side is stated in the negative, as usual.

5. 05

   目の前の忙しさにかまけていると、本当に大事なことを見失う。

   めのまえのいそがしさにかまけていると、ほんとうにだいじなことをみうしなう。

   If you let yourself be consumed by the busyness in front of you, you lose sight of what really matters.

   かまけている + と gives a general warning.

• 〜にかこつけて

  Using X as an excuse to do something else. かまけて is being absorbed in X itself, not using it as a pretext. Compare side by side

• 〜ばかりに

  "Just because of X" leading to a bad result; X can be anything. かまけて is specifically about preoccupation and neglect. Compare side by side

• 〜をよそに

  Ignoring someone's concern or worry while acting. かまけて focuses on what took up your attention, not on whom you ignored. Compare side by side

• ✗

  研究にかまけて、ついに新しい理論を完成させた。

  ✓

  研究に打ち込んで、ついに新しい理論を完成させた。

  Why

  かまけて requires a neglected side and a critical tone. A proud achievement takes 打ち込む or 没頭する.

• ✗

  仕事をかまけて、家族を忘れていた。

  ✓

  仕事にかまけて、家族を忘れていた。

  Why

  The particle is に; the pattern is N + にかまけて.

• ✗

  遊びにかまけて、楽しかった。

  ✓

  遊びにかまけて、勉強をおろそかにした。

  Why

  The second half must show what was neglected. A pleasant result contradicts the meaning.

The second half often contains おろそかにする, 忘れる, 〜ないままだ, or 〜てこなかった. In apologies and reflections it softens blame: 忙しさにかまけて連絡が遅くなりました ("I got caught up in work and was slow to reply"). The verb かまける is rarely used outside this pattern; learn it as a unit.