Breakdown of kakutyouban ni yotte, seigenzikan ga kawaru.
Questions & Answers about kakutyouban ni yotte, seigenzikan ga kawaru.
How is this sentence read aloud?
A natural reading is:
かくちょうばん に よって、せいげんじかん が かわる。
Word by word:
- 拡張版 = かくちょうばん
- によって
- 制限時間 = せいげんじかん
- が
- 変わる = かわる
What does 拡張版 mean here?
拡張版 literally means expanded version, expansion version, or extended edition.
Depending on context, it could mean:
- a game expansion
- a special/expanded release
- a version with added content
So in this sentence, it refers to the version/edition that affects the time limit.
What does によって mean in this sentence?
Here, によって means something like:
- depending on
- according to
- varying with
- because of differences in
So 拡張版によって、制限時間が変わる means the time limit is not the same in every version; it changes depending on which expansion/version you mean.
This is one of the common uses of によって:
- A によって B が変わる = B changes depending on A
Is によって the same as で here?
Not exactly.
- で often marks a means, method, or place.
- によって here emphasizes variation depending on a condition.
So:
- 拡張版によって、制限時間が変わる = The time limit changes depending on the expansion version.
If you replaced it with で, it would sound unnatural in this meaning.
Why is the particle が used with 制限時間?
が marks 制限時間 as the thing that changes.
So the structure is:
- 拡張版によって = depending on the expansion version
- 制限時間が = the time limit
- 変わる = changes
In other words, what changes?
→ the time limit
That is why が is natural here.
Why is the verb 変わる used instead of 変える?
Because 変わる is an intransitive verb: it means to change.
- 制限時間が変わる = The time limit changes
By contrast, 変える is transitive: to change something.
- 制限時間を変える = to change the time limit
This sentence is describing a change happening to the time limit, not directly saying who changes it, so 変わる is the correct choice.
Who is causing the change? Is the subject omitted?
Yes, Japanese does not need to state the agent here.
The sentence focuses on the result:
- the time limit changes depending on the expansion version
It does not explicitly say:
- who designed it
- who changed it
- what system is changing it
That kind of information is often omitted in Japanese when it is not important or is already understood from context.
Could this sentence be translated as The time limit changes by the expansion version?
Grammatically, that is possible as a very literal translation, but it sounds unnatural in English.
Better translations are:
- The time limit changes depending on the expansion version.
- The time limit varies by expansion version.
- The time limit differs depending on the version.
So the Japanese is fine, but English usually prefers depending on or varies by here.
What is the basic sentence structure?
The structure is:
[condition/source of variation] によって、 [thing] が [intransitive verb]
In this sentence:
- 拡張版によって = depending on the expansion version
- 制限時間が = the time limit
- 変わる = changes
So the whole sentence is built as: Depending on the expansion version, the time limit changes.
What is the role of the comma after によって?
The comma is just a pause marker. It helps separate the introductory phrase:
- 拡張版によって、 = depending on the expansion version,
- 制限時間が変わる。 = the time limit changes.
It is helpful for readability, but not always strictly required. You may also see:
拡張版によって制限時間が変わる。
with no comma.
Could は be used instead of が in 制限時間が変わる?
Is によって only used for depending on?
No. によって has several common meanings, including:
- by someone/something
- ピカソによって描かれた = painted by Picasso
- by means of / through
- 努力によって成功した = succeeded through effort
- depending on / according to
- 人によって考え方が違う = ways of thinking differ depending on the person
In your sentence, it is the depending on / varies by meaning.
Would 拡張版によると work here?
No, that would mean something different.
- によって = depending on / by / due to
- によると = according to
So:
- 拡張版によって、制限時間が変わる。
= The time limit changes depending on the expansion version.
But:
- 拡張版によると…
would mean according to the expansion version..., which does not fit this idea.
Is this a complete natural sentence in Japanese?
Yes, it is natural and grammatically complete.
It sounds like a factual statement you might see in:
- game rules
- product descriptions
- manuals
- comparison charts
A very natural English-like paraphrase would be:
- The time limit varies depending on the expansion version.
So as Japanese, the sentence is short, clear, and normal.
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