N1 Purpose and Means

~をかねて: meaning, usage and examples

~をかねて means: also serving as... / for the purpose of...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 英語えいごの勉強べんきょうをかねて、洋画ようがを字幕じまくなしで見みた。

   I watched a foreign movie without subtitles, partly as English practice.

2. 気分転換きぶんてんかんをかねて、髪型かみがたを大おおきく変かえた。

   I drastically changed my hairstyle, partly for a change of pace.

3. 市場しじょう調査ちょうさをかねて、新あたらしくできたカフェに行いってみた。

   I tried the newly opened café, partly as market research.

4. 忘年会ぼうねんかいは、新入しんにゅう社員しゃいんの歓迎かんげい会かいをかねて行おこなわれた。

   The year-end party also served as a welcome party for the new employees.

When to use it

Says that one action or event also serves a second purpose. Example: 運動うんどうをかねて、自転車じてんしゃで通勤つうきんしている (I commute by bike, partly as exercise). It also works for events: 歓迎かんげい会かいをかねた食事しょくじ会かい (a dinner that doubles as a welcome party). Common in everyday speech and writing alike.

Nuance

Neutral register, used in both conversation and business notices. The noun before をかねて is the secondary purpose, and the main clause is the action actually done. It sounds practical and positive, without criticism.

Compare

をかねて names a second purpose for one action: 下見したみをかねて旅行りょこうする. がてら focuses on a trip where something extra gets done: 散歩さんぽがてら買かい物ものする. かたがた is the formal greeting version: お礼れいかたがた伺うかがう. を兼かねる can also take a noun as subject: この部屋へやは書斎しょさいを兼かねている.

Tip: Write it in kanji as 兼かねて (combine). X をかねて means the action also counts as X.