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〜のをいいことに

taking (unfair) advantage of

Plain form (な-adj な, Noun な) + のをいいことに

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のをいいことに means someone uses a situation as a chance to do something they shouldn't: 先生がいないのをいいことに、生徒たちは騒いでいた, "taking advantage of the teacher's absence, the students were making a racket".

The first half is a circumstance that removes a check: nobody's watching, parents are out, someone is too kind, no one complains. The second half is bad or selfish behaviour, and the speaker disapproves.

It's literally "treating it as a good thing that…". Compare おかげで, "thanks to", which is grateful, and をきっかけに (N2), "triggered by", which is neutral.

After な-adjectives and nouns, use な: 留守なのをいいことに.

Examples

  • 先生せんせいがいないのをいいことに、生徒せいとたちは騒さわいでいた。

    Taking advantage of the teacher's absence, the students were making a racket.

  • 親おやが留守るすなのをいいことに、夜遅よるおそくまで遊あそんだ。

    With my parents away, I took the chance to stay out late.

  • 誰だれも見みていないのをいいことに、ごみを捨すてた。

    Since no one was looking, he dumped his rubbish.

  • 彼女かのじょが優やさしいのをいいことに、彼かれは甘あまえてばかりいる。

    He takes advantage of her kindness and relies on her for everything.

  • 注意ちゅういされないのをいいことに、彼かれは遅刻ちこくを繰くり返かえしている。

    Since nobody tells him off, he keeps turning up late.