Meaning & usage
故に marks a formal cause or conclusion, often translated as therefore or for that reason. It follows a noun with ゆえに as in 若さゆえに, or follows a plain verb, i-adjective, or na-adjective stem plus な with がゆえに as in 愛しているがゆえに. At the start of a sentence, 故に or それゆえに introduces a conclusion, while bare ゆえに is not used that way. The style is literary and stiff, common in writing, speeches, and set phrases like 我思う、故に我あり.
Example sentences 4
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我思う、故に我あり。
I think, therefore I am.
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若さゆえに彼に対する告訴は取り下げられた。
The charges against him were dropped because of his youth.
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私の弱さゆえに、あなたを傷つけてしまった。
Because of my weakness, I hurt you.
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私たちは両親を尊敬し、愛しているがゆえに、両親に従う。
We obey our parents because we honor them and we love them.
In past JLPT papers
This came up in 5 past exam questions.
And 1 more test.
