ことによると
ことによると
adverb
possibly, perhaps, depending on circumstances
1.
possibly, perhaps, maybe
Used to express that something might happen depending on circumstances.
ことによると雨が降るかもしれない。
It might possibly rain.
ことによると彼は来ないかもしれない。
Perhaps he won't come.
ことによると間に合わないかもしれない。
We might possibly not make it in time.
ことによると、この問題は私たちが思っているよりも深刻かもしれない。
Perhaps this problem is more serious than we think.
ことによると introduces a possibility that depends on how circumstances unfold. It literally means "depending on things" and suggests the speaker is uncertain but considers the outcome plausible.
GRAMMAR:
- Typically placed at the beginning of a sentence
- Almost always followed by かもしれない or かもしれません
- The combination ことによると…かもしれない is a set pattern
REGISTER:
Slightly formal. More common in written Japanese or careful speech. In casual conversation, もしかしたら or もしかすると is more natural.
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- もしかしたら/もしかすると: maybe, perhaps (most common in daily speech)
- ひょっとしたら/ひょっとすると: by any chance (slightly colloquial)
- ことによると: possibly (somewhat formal, implies dependence on circumstances)
- あるいは: or, possibly (formal, often written)
VARIANT:
ことによったら is a slightly more casual variant with the same meaning.