てこそ

Level

JLPT N2

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てこそ

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tekosoReason, Result, Response

Yuzuo Chan

11.06.2025

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Meaning

Only by doing A (or only when A is the case) can the result be achieved or the real value be understood; A is the indispensable condition.

Conjugation

(A)Vて + こそ: (A)Aくて + こそ

Examples

Show translation

毎日まいにち練習れんしゅうしてこそ、上手じょうずになれる。

実際じっさいにやってみてこそ、空手からての難むずかしさが分わかる。

信頼しんらいできる仲間なかまがいてこそ、大おおきな仕事しごとができる。

若わかくてこそ、できる挑戦ちょうせんがある。

健康けんこうであってこそ、仕事しごとも趣味しゅみも楽たのしめる。

親おやになってこそ、親おやの気持きもちがわかるものだ。

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.title

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.wrong: 実際じっさいにやってみるこそ、難むずかしさが分わかる。

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.correct: 実際じっさいにやってみてこそ、難むずかしさが分わかる。

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.why: こそ attaches to the て-form of the verb, not the dictionary form.

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.wrong: 毎日まいにち遊あそんでこそ、試験しけんに落おちた。

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.correct: 毎日まいにち勉強べんきょうしてこそ、試験しけんに合格ごうかくできる。

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.why: In this sentence, 遊んで is not an indispensable condition for failing the exam. てこそ emphasizes that A is an essential condition, and it is often used with a desirable result.

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.wrong: 日本にほんへ行いってこそ、本当ほんとうの寿司すしのおいしさを知しった。

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.correct: 日本にほんへ行いってはじめて、本当ほんとうの寿司すしのおいしさを知しった。

grammarDetailPage.commonMistakes.why: Although てこそ can be used in some contexts involving a one-time realization, てはじめて is generally more natural when simply reporting 'only after doing A did I realize...'. てこそ emphasizes A as an essential condition.

Key points

Use it to stress that A is indispensable for a result, realization, real value or true understanding. It is a somewhat formal, emphatic expression; it often appears with desirable results, but the key point is that A is presented as an essential condition. Compared with ~てはじめて (focus on 'only after A happened'), ~てこそ stresses that A is essential; compared with ~ばこそ ('precisely because of A'), it expresses a condition, not a reason.

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