“ni tsuki” Meaning & Usage — Due to 〜 / Per 〜 (formal notices) [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
“Closed due to construction,” “one per person” — the formal wording of notices and rules, with examples. (JLPT N2)
Read this one sign, and you've got 「につき」
Walk up to a Japanese shop and you'll see 「準備中につき、しばらくお待ちください」; on a shelf, 「お一人様につき、お一つまで」. Same 「につき」 — the first means “due to / because of” (we're preparing, so please wait), the second means “per” (one per customer). It's the language of signs, notices, and rules — you'll almost never say it in conversation, but you're stuck if you can't read it. This guide gets you telling the two apart at a glance.
Tell them apart at a glance: “due to” or “per”?
One test — look at what comes before 「につき」:
- A situation or reason before it (準備中, 祝日, 悪天候) → it means “due to.”
- A counter or unit before it (一人, 一個, 1時間) → it means “per.”
One answers “why?”, the other “how much per unit?” — the context makes it obvious.
How to Connect
| Meaning | Pattern | Typical setting |
|---|---|---|
| due to (reason) | situation-noun ＋ につき | shop notices, closure signs |
| per (unit) | counter-noun ＋ につき | price lists, purchase limits |
Examples in context
- 準備中につき、しばらくお待ちください。(We're getting ready, so please wait a moment.) — shop notice
- 本日は祝日につき、休業いたします。(We're closed today for the public holiday.) — closure notice
- お一人様につき、お一つまで。(One per customer.) — purchase limit
- 入場料は一人につき500円です。(Admission is 500 yen per person.) — price list
- 悪天候につき、本日のツアーは中止いたします。(Today's tour is cancelled due to bad weather.) — formal notice
⚠️ Where learners slip up
Because it looks like a handy word for “because,” learners are tempted to use 「につき」 in everyday speech — but it comes out sounding like you're reading a public announcement. In conversation, use 「〜から / 〜ので」 and save 「につき」 for signs and formal writing.
Also don't confuse it with 「〜について」 (about / regarding): 「一人につき」 (per person) and 「〜について」 look alike but mean very different things.
🔄 Compare: につき / ため / あたり
| Expression | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜につき (due to) | formal / notice-style “due to” | 工事中につき |
| 〜ため | plain “because,” written or spoken | 工事のため |
| 〜あたり (per) | casual “per” | 一人あたり |
💡 The key point in use
Honestly, you may never actively say 「につき」 in your life — but you'll read it constantly. So treat it as a reading word: once you can decode the 「につき」 on shop doors, station boards, and official notices, daily life in Japan gets a lot smoother. That's also exactly why the JLPT loves it at N2 — it's testing whether you can read formal Japanese.
❓ Questions you might have
Q: Are 「一人につき」 and 「一人あたり」 the same?
Both mean “per person,” but 「につき」 is formal and appears on written notices, while 「あたり」 is casual, used when you're working out numbers in conversation. Signs say 「につき」; chatting, you say 「あたり」.
Q: Can a verb come before 「につき」?
No — it must be a noun. To say “because I'm busy,” you can't use ✗「忙しいにつき」; nominalize it to 「多忙につき」.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「準備中___、しばらくお待ちください。」(due to preparation — a notice)
(A) につき (B) によって (C) について (D) にとって
Q2. What does 「につき」 mean in 「一人につき千円」?
(A) Per (1000 yen per person)
(B) Due to
(C) About
(D) Toward
Q3. What does 「につき」 mean in 「祝日につき休業」?
(A) Due to (closed because of the holiday)
(B) Per
(C) About
(D) Toward
Q4. What register is 「につき」 (due to)?
(A) Written, notice/announcement language
(B) Intimate speech
(C) Children's speech
(D) Command form
Q5. Which usage is correct?
(A) 改装中につき休業します。 (B) 改装中につきください食べて。
(C) 一個につきの人。 (D) につき祝日。
Answer Key
1. (A) につき ── due to preparation (notice).
2. (A) Per ── 一人につき = per person.
3. (A) Due to ── closed because of the holiday.
4. (A) ── written, notice language.
5. (A) ── 「改装中につき休業します」 is correct.