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Japanese

にかける

てんびんにかける
Meaning: to weigh; to balance one option against another
Part of Speech: Verb, Idiom

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Verb inflections

Verb inflections
Form Affirmative Negative
Present 天秤にかける 天秤にかけない
Polite 天秤にかけます 天秤にかけません
Past 天秤にかけた 天秤にかけなかった
Polite + Past 天秤にかけました 天秤にかけませんでした
Te-form 天秤にかけて 天秤にかけなくて
Potential 天秤にかけられる 天秤にかけられない
Passive 天秤にかけられる 天秤にかけられない
Causative 天秤にかけさせる 天秤にかけさせない
Imperative 天秤にかけろ 天秤にかけるな

Example

安全性と費用を天秤にかける必要がある。
We need to weigh safety against cost.

Usage Notes

This figurative expression is used when comparing benefits, risks, costs, or competing choices before making a decision.

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