くせして
- 1Criticizes someone for acting in a way that contradicts a known fact about them (e.g., pretending to know when they don't).Ex. 1
- 2Points out, often with irony or disapproval, that someone's behavior doesn't suit their status or identity.Ex. 2
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Used in casual speech to express dissatisfaction, contempt, or irony toward someone's behavior. It is rougher and more conversational than くせに. Unlike neutral concessive patterns such as のに or にもかかわらず, it always carries a critical or negative attitude toward the person described.
Note that くせして sounds critical or rude, so do not use it about superiors or in polite and formal situations.
Learners should keep the same person as the subject of both clauses, since the criticism targets that one person's behavior.
Do not use くせして for neutral contrast or simple surprise; it always implies blame or disdain.
- くせにN3「くせに」has the same meaning and attachment as「くせして」, and the two are basically interchangeable in sentences. However,「くせに」is less casual in tone and is the more basic, more frequently used expression.
- のにN4「のに」is neutral in register and not necessarily aimed at criticizing a person: it can express surprise or regret about a situation, the subjects on either side can differ, it can also end a sentence, and nouns take「なのに」. Since the second clause cannot contain commands or the like, the two cannot simply be swapped.
- もののN2「ものの」also means 'although... but', acknowledging the first clause while the second goes against expectation; it often carries regret or resignation, involves no blame or contempt, and is mostly used in writing. Nouns take「であるものの」rather than「の」, and the two generally cannot be interchanged.
- にもかかわらずN2「にもかかわらず」is written-style and objectively states that the second clause runs counter to expectation; the second clause can be a request or an intention, blame is not required, the subjects can differ, and it can open a sentence. Since「くせして」is colloquial and always carries dissatisfaction, the two are generally not interchangeable.
- 〜つつもN3「つつも」also means 'although... yet...' but carries no blame; it is mostly used for self-reflection or to convey resignation, attaches only to the masu-stem of verbs (the ます form minus ます), and leans written-style. 「くせして」is typically used to criticize others in a casual tone, so the two cannot be interchanged.
くせに has the same critical meaning and is more common, while くせして is a more colloquial variant; のに expresses surprise or disappointment without necessarily looking down on anyone. ものの, にもかかわらず, and 〜つつも are neutral-to-formal concessive expressions that carry none of the contempt that くせして conveys.
