～を機に

How to form it

• Noun + を機に / を機として

Register: Neutral to formal

Explanation

Says that something starts or changes because a particular opportunity arrives.

Shorter and a little more natural in speech than を契機に. It focuses on using an opportunity to change.

Examples

1. 引っ越しを機に、新しい生活を始めた。

   ひっこしをきに、あたらしいせいかつをはじめた。

   I took the move as a chance to start a new life.

2. 卒業を機に、一人暮らしを始めた。

   そつぎょうをきに、ひとりぐらしをはじめた。

   Graduation was the chance for me to start living alone.

3. これを機に、禁煙しようと思う。

   これをきに、きんえんしようとおもう。

   I think I'll use this as a chance to quit smoking.

Compare with

• ～をきっかけに: をきっかけに is the most common and casual.
• ～を契機に: を契機に is more formal and written.

Common mistakes

• Reading 機 as き-かい here. In this pattern it is read き, so the phrase is をきに.