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〜ばこそ

precisely because (a good motive)

Verb ば-form + こそ (〜ていればこそ, 〜であればこそ)

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ばこそ means "it's precisely because…", and stresses a positive, often misunderstood motive: 子どものためを思えばこそ、厳しく叱るのだ, "it's precisely because I care about my child that I'm strict with him".

The second half often ends in のだ or のである, explaining why someone acted as they did. The motive is usually love, trust, expectation or health, something good behind a harsh-looking action.

It's a literary form of からこそ (N3's こそ). Watch the shape: からこそ follows the plain form (思うからこそ), while ばこそ follows the ば-form (思えばこそ). It's common as 〜ていればこそ and 〜であればこそ.

In classical Japanese, ばこそ could also mean "far from", but that use is rare today.

Examples

  • 子こどものためを思おもえばこそ、厳きびしく叱しかるのだ。

    It's precisely because I care about my child that I'm strict with him.

  • 君きみを信頼しんらいしていればこそ、この仕事しごとを任まかせるのだ。

    It's precisely because I trust you that I'm leaving this job to you.

  • 健康けんこうであればこそ、好すきなことができる。

    It's only because you're healthy that you can do what you love.

  • 愛あいしていればこそ、別わかれを選えらんだのだ。

    It was precisely because I loved her that I chose to leave.

  • 期待きたいしていればこそ、厳きびしいことを言いうのだ。

    I say harsh things precisely because I expect a lot of you.

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