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Formation: V／い-adj plain form + ことから; な-adj + な／である + ことから; N + である + ことから

This pattern gives an observed fact as the basis for a conclusion, a discovery or a decision. It is very often used to explain how something got its name (〜ことから、〜と呼ばれている). It is explanatory and fairly formal, typical of news reports, textbooks and guidebooks. The main clause states a judgment or result. It is not used for requests, commands or the speaker's wishes; for those, use から or ので. Compare 〜ところを見ると: that is used to guess about something from what one observes, often ending in らしい or ようだ. 〜からすると usually follows a noun and focuses on the speaker's own judgment. ことから presents an objective fact as the starting point.

Variants: であることから

Examples

• 道路がぬれていることから、夜中に雨が降ったとわかった。
  From the fact that the road was wet, we could tell it had rained in the night.
• この橋は形が眼鏡に似ていることから、「眼鏡橋」と呼ばれている。
  This bridge is called the Spectacles Bridge because its shape resembles a pair of glasses.
• 現場に指紋が残っていたことから、犯人が特定された。
  The culprit was identified from the fact that fingerprints had been left at the scene.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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