N2 Timing, Occasions, and Triggers

~をきっかけに: meaning, usage and examples

~をきっかけに means: prompted by... / ...was what started...

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

Examples

1. この出会であいをきっかけに、人生じんせいが変かわった。

   As a result of this encounter, my life changed.

2. 病気びょうきをきっかけに、健康けんこうに気きをつけるようになった。

   Getting sick made me start paying attention to my health.

3. 友人ゆうじんの誘さそいをきっかけに、ジョギングを始はじめた。

   I started jogging after a friend invited me along.

4. 旅行りょこうをきっかけに、佐藤さとうさんは日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうを始はじめた。

   A trip got Mr. Sato started on studying Japanese.

When to use it

Use this to name the event that started something: a hobby, a relationship, a habit or a change of direction. The first part is the trigger, and the second is what began because of it: 旅行りょこうをきっかけに、佐藤さとうさんは日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうを始はじめた (a trip got Mr. Sato started on studying Japanese). The trigger is often something small or by chance.

Nuance

Neutral and very common in both speech and writing. The second clause is usually a new action or change that started (始はじめた, 〜ようになった), not a request or command. がきっかけで is the most conversational form; をきっかけとして is a bit more formal.

Compare

を契機けいきに is the formal, written version, used for bigger social or personal changes: 震災しんさいを契機けいきに防災ぼうさい意識いしきが高たかまった. をきっかけに is everyday: 映画えいがをきっかけに歴史れきしが好すきになった. によって simply gives a cause or means and does not stress a starting point: 事故じこによって電車でんしゃが止とまった.

Tip: Ask: did something begin? If yes, をきっかけに fits. If something simply happened because of a cause, use によって or ので.