Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
The core contrast is that によると marks the source of information you heard or read, always followed by a hearsay/reporting verb like そうだ or という. によって marks means, cause, agent, or dependency — never a source of hearsay. Swapping them is wrong: 天気予報によると雨が降るそうだ is natural, but 天気予報によって雨が降るそうだ is not, because によって cannot introduce a source of information.
- によると Use によると when you are citing where you heard or read the information that follows.
- によって/より Use によって when you are showing means, cause, agent of a passive verb, or dependency on a situation.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| によると niyoruto | According to | N3 |
| によって/より niyotte yori | According to / due to / by means of | N3 |
によると niyoruto
According to
According to; based on | A compound particle that is used to identify the source of information provided in the sentence.
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H博士によると、犬は人間が歩く際に発する弱い電磁波を感じ取っている可能性があるという。
According to Dr. H, dogs may be able to feel the faint electromagnetic waves that people generate when they walk.
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その温泉は旅行雑誌によると神経痛にいいそうだ。
One of the travel magazines said that hot springs are good for nerve pain.
によって/より niyotte yori
According to / due to / by means of
According to; due to; owing to; because of; depending on; from ~ to; by means of; on the basis of; with; by | A particle that indicates means, cause, agent of passive sentence, or dependency on a situation.
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この研究所は文部省によって設立された。
This research institute was established by the Ministry of Education.
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この絵はピカソによって描かれた。
This picture was painted by Picasso.
によると and によって/より are both JLPT N3 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.