These two N2 patterns serve different needs: からして for "judging from a certain angle," and かわりに for "instead of" or "in exchange."
からして: Judging From… (Basis for Judgment)
「からして」expresses making a judgment based on a certain aspect — "just from this alone you can tell":
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| この成績からして、国立大学に入れそうだ。 | Judging from these grades, they should be able to get into a national university. |
| 彼の態度からして、やる気がないようだ。 | Judging from his attitude, he doesn't seem motivated. |
| 名前からして日本人ではなさそうだ。 | Just from the name alone, they don't seem Japanese. |
Connection: Noun + からして
Similar Expressions Compared
| Pattern | Meaning | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| からして | Judging from (subjective) | Just this alone tells me |
| から見れば | Looking at (objective) | Analyzing from this angle |
| から言えば | Speaking from (commentary) | In terms of this aspect |
からして's specialty: Carries a "this one clue is enough" subjective nuance, more intuitive than other expressions.
かわりに: Replacement / Exchange
「かわりに」has two uses:
Use A: In Place of Someone/Something
「の代わりに」means substituting one for another:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 山田さんの代わりに田中さんがこの会議に出席した。 | Tanaka attended the meeting in place of Yamada. |
| 電話の代わりにメールで連絡した。 | I contacted them by email instead of phone. |
Connection: Noun + の代わりに
Use B: Exchange Condition (A in Return for B)
「V + かわりに」means doing A, with the condition of B — a trade-off:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ノートを貸してあげるかわりに、ごちそうしてくれ。 | I'll lend you my notes, but you buy me a meal. |
| 残業を免除するかわりに、土曜日は出勤してください。 | I'll exempt you from overtime, but please work Saturdays. |
Connection: Verb plain form + かわりに
Two Uses Compared
| Replacement | Exchange | |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Noun + の代わりに | Verb + かわりに |
| Meaning | A replaces B | Do A but pay with B |
| Example | 山田の代わりに | 貸すかわりに |
Summary
- 「からして」= Judging from a certain aspect (subjective intuition)
- 「の代わりに」= In place of someone/something
- 「V + かわりに」= Exchange condition (do A but the price is B)
Self-Check
1. Complete with からして: 彼の服装____, ____.
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Example: 彼の服装からして、お金持ちのようだ。 "Judging from his clothes, he seems wealthy." (Subjective judgment = からして)
2. What's the difference between 「先生の代わりに」 and 「教えるかわりに」?
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- 先生の代わりに: In place of the teacher (substitution)
- 教えるかわりに: If I teach you, then in exchange… (trade condition) The first is substitution; the second is an exchange.