N1 Role, Status, and Evaluation

~てしかるべきだ: meaning, usage and examples

~てしかるべきだ means: should... / it is proper to... / deserves to be...

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

Examples

1. 悪わるいことをしたら、謝あやまってしかるべきだ。

   If you do something wrong, you should apologize.

2. 彼かれは、その功績こうせきによって表彰ひょうしょうされてしかるべきだった。

   He deserved to be recognized for his achievements.

3. 事故じこの原因げんいんは、国民こくみんにきちんと説明せつめいされてしかるべきだ。

   The cause of the accident ought to be properly explained to the public.

4. これだけ成果せいかを上あげているのだから、給料きゅうりょうが上あがってしかるべきだ。

   With results like these, the pay ought to go up.

When to use it

Says that something ought to happen because it is the proper, natural thing: "should", "deserves to". It often criticizes a situation where the proper thing has not happened: 会社かいしゃは社員しゃいんに謝あやまってしかるべきだ (the company ought to apologize to its employees). With the passive: 評価ひょうかされてしかるべきだ (deserves to be recognized).

Nuance

Formal, used in editorials, debates and serious opinions. It carries a feeling of "this is only right, yet it is not happening". It is a judgment about others or society, not a request to the listener. しかるべき + Noun means "appropriate": しかるべき処置しょち (appropriate measures).

Compare

べきだ is the general "should": 早はやく寝ねるべきだ. てしかるべきだ is more formal and says the result is only natural and fair: 彼かれの努力どりょくは報むくわれてしかるべきだ (his effort deserves to be rewarded). Compare て当然とうぜんだ, more conversational: 怒おこって当然とうぜんだ (no wonder you are angry).

Tip: The passive is very common: 評価ひょうかされて / 報むくわれて / 説明せつめいされてしかるべきだ. When you see it, think "deserves to be..." or "ought to be...".