のに

のに

Japanese

Etymology

Combination of particle の (no, the genitive or possessive marker, also used to nominalize verbs and adjectives) + particle に (ni, locative and directional marker).

Particle

のに • (no ni) 

1. even though, although (in spite of the fact that)

   もう春(はる)なのに

   mō haru na no ni

   even though it's already spring

   ああ、ちょうどよかったのに。

   Ā, chōdo yokatta no ni.

   Darn, and it was perfect too.

   かわいかったのになぁ…

   kawaikatta no ni nā…

   Aw, but it was so cute...

   (literally, “Although it was cute...”)

2. if only

   早(はや)くすればいいのに…

   hayaku sureba ii no ni…

   If only I had done it earlier…

   (literally, “although it would have been good if I did it sooner”)

3. in order to

   怒(おこ)りを表(ひょう)すのに用(もち)いられる

   okori o hyōsu no ni mochīrareru

   used to display anger

Derived terms

• なのに (na no ni)

References

• “のに”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN