JLPT N3

によって

Depending on / By means of

Structure

Noun によって

How it works

This grammar point expresses a method or means of doing something, or indicates that something varies/changes depending on a specific factor. For means, it is a more formal version of 'で'; with people (人によって), it is close to '人それぞれ'. In passive sentences, it is also used to identify the creator or inventor of something.

Examples

人によって考え方が違います。

Ways of thinking differ depending on the person.

インターネットによって情報を集めます。

I gather information by means of the internet.

この本は夏目漱石によって書かれました。

This book was written by Natsume Soseki.

Common mistakes

Students often confuse the 'depending on' usage with the 'because of/due to' usage (which is also written as によって). Context is key: if the following verb implies variety or change (like 違う, 変わる), it means 'depending on'.

Tip

When you see 'によって' followed by words like '色々' (various) or '様々' (diverse), it almost always means 'depending on'.

More JLPT N3 grammar

としてに対してについてに関してにとってわけだわけがないわけではない

See によって in real Japanese

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