Grammar › Emphasis & Exclusivity
あってこそ — “only thanks to, precisely because (X exists)”
Says a good result is entirely dependent on one specific thing's presence
Noun + あってこそ says a positive outcome is only possible precisely because a particular thing exists or was present — “it's only because of X that Y (good thing) happens.” It's close to なくして(は) but phrased from the positive side (“with X, Y is possible”) rather than the negative (“without X, no Y”).
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Noun + あってこそ | 皆さんの支えがあってこそ、ここまで来られました — It's only thanks to everyone's support that I've made it this far |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 健康な体があってこそ、何事も頑張れる。 | けんこうなからだがあってこそ、なにごともがんばれる。 kenkounakaradagaattekoso、nanigotomoganbareru。 | It's only with a healthy body that you can put your all into anything. |
| 失敗があってこそ、成長できるものだ。 | しっぱいがあってこそ、せいちょうできるものだ。 shippaigaattekoso、seichoudekirumonoda。 | It's precisely because of failures that growth is possible. |
| 練習の積み重ねがあってこそ、本番で力を発揮できる。 | れんしゅうのつみかさねがあってこそ、ほんばんでちからをはっきできる。 renshuunotsumikasanegaattekoso、honbandechikarawohakkidekiru。 | It's only through accumulated practice that you can perform well when it counts. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
あってこそ frames its subject positively as a necessary foundation — なくして(は) makes the same logical point from the opposite, negative angle; the two are often interchangeable in meaning but not in tone.