くせに (kuse ni)
～くせに — even though ～ (with reproach)
Pattern
-
V普通形／Aい＋くせにPlain form + くせに -
Nの／Aな＋くせにNoun + の / な-adj + な + くせに
Meaning
知っているくせに教えてくれない points out a mismatch: if he knows, he should tell. It is more emotional than のに and carries strong dissatisfaction.
When to use
Used to criticize others or a situation. It is hard to use about oneself. It is rude toward superiors, and the second half is a blaming statement. Nouns take の (子どものくせに) and な-adjectives take な (下手なくせに).
Examples
-
知（し）っているくせに、教（おし）えてくれない。
Shitte iru kuse ni, oshiete kurenai.
Even though he knows, he won't tell me.
-
まだ子（こ）どものくせに、大人（おとな）のような口（くち）をきく。
Mada kodomo no kuse ni, otona no yō na kuchi o kiku.
Even though he's still a child, he talks like an adult.
-
自分（じぶん）ができないくせに、人（ひと）の失敗（しっぱい）を笑（わら）う。
Jibun ga dekinai kuse ni, hito no shippai o warau.
Even though he can't do it himself, he laughs at others' mistakes.
Common mistakes
- It cannot carry praise. 頭がいいくせに sounds like blame, not a compliment.
- The subject should be the same in both parts.
More grammar points
- ばよかった ～ばよかった — I should have ～, if only I had ～
- ばかりで ～ばかりで — only ～ (and nothing else, with a negative feeling)
- ばかりでなく ～ばかりでなく — not only ～ but also ～
- だけでなく ～だけでなく — not only ～ but also ～
- だけど だけど — but, however (casual)
- ふりをする ～ふりをする — pretending to ～
- 一方（いっぽう）だ ～一方だ — keeps ～ing in one direction
- 一体（いったい） 一体 — what on earth ～ (emphasizing a question)
- じゃない ～じゃない — isn't it ～! (surprise or confirmation)
- か何（なに）か ～か何か — ～ or something
- 代（か）わりに ～代わりに — instead of ～, in return for ～
- 結局（けっきょく） 結局 — in the end, after all
- きり ～きり — only ～; ever since ～
- っけ ～っけ — was it ～? (recalling)
- ことになっている ～ことになっている — it is the rule or plan that ～
- ことは～が ～ことは～が — it is true that ～, but ～
- も～ば～も A も ～ば B も ～ — both A and B
- むしろ むしろ — rather, if anything
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