目錄
Japanese 「〜ことになっている」 often appears in company rules, school systems, hotel instructions, event procedures, and schedules that have already been arranged. Broadly speaking, it can be understood as meaning “this has already been decided, and things are still being carried out that way.” For example, 「館内では写真を撮らないことになっています」 describes a current rule that photography is not allowed inside the facility, while 「来月から田中さんが受付を担当することになっています」 explains that the staffing arrangement for Tanaka to handle reception has already been decided. The content of the two sentences is different, but in both cases, 「〜ことになっている」 presents something that has already been established as part of the current situation.
What tends to cause confusion is that Chinese words such as “decision,” “rule,” and “arrangement” cover a wide range of situations, whereas Japanese chooses different patterns depending on how something came to be decided and which stage the speaker wants to emphasize. If you take a walk every day because it is a habit you decided on yourself, you would normally say 「ことにしている」. If you have just been informed that you will be transferred to Osaka next month, you can say 「ことになった」. If that arrangement has already been finalized and preparations are currently being made according to the plan, you can use 「ことになっている」.
For this reason, when interpreting 「〜ことになっている」, there is no need to memorize several different Chinese translations first. Begin by checking whether the matter has already become a rule, an arrangement, or a fixed practice within a group, and then see whether the sentence is describing it as still being in effect now. This same approach also helps distinguish 「ことにしている」, 「ことになった」, and the more formal 「ことになっております」 often heard in official situations.
What Does 「〜ことになっている」 Mean? Rules and Arrangements That Are Still in Effect
「〜ことになっている」 is used to explain that something has already been decided and that the relevant rule, arrangement, or practice is still being followed now. Common contexts include company systems, event procedures, work assignments, facility rules, and long-established practices within a group.
This pattern can be broken down into 「ことになる」 and 「ている」. 「ことになる」 indicates that something has come to be decided through arrangements, deliberation, or other circumstances, while the following 「ている」 shows that the result of that decision is still being maintained in the present. Therefore, 「来月から大阪で働くことになった」 means that “it has been decided that I will work in Osaka,” whereas 「来月から大阪で働くことになっている」 means that “the current arrangement is for me to work in Osaka starting next month.”
In Chinese, 「〜ことになっている」 is often translated as “it is required that…,” “it is arranged that…,” or “by convention…,” but the actual meaning changes with context. There is no need to choose a Chinese translation first. Instead, simply check whether the matter has already been decided and whether it is still being carried out that way now. If the speaker is making a decision on the spot, or maintaining a personal habit over time, 「ことにした」 or 「ことにしている」 is normally used instead.
How to Form Japanese 「〜ことになっている」: Plain Verb Form + Fixed Pattern
「〜ことになっている」 follows the plain form of a verb. To say that there is a rule requiring an action, the dictionary form is normally used. To say that there is a rule prohibiting an action, the 「ない」 form is used. For example, 「社員証を見せることになっています」 means that employees are required to show their employee ID, while 「写真を撮らないことになっています」 means that taking photos is prohibited.
In ordinary conversation and explanations, 「〜ことになっています」 is common. In more formal settings such as hotel front desks, company notices, and public announcements, 「〜ことになっております」 is also frequently heard. 「おります」 simply makes the ending more polite; it does not change the content of the rule or arrangement itself.
In addition, the 「こと」 here is part of a fixed construction and cannot simply be replaced with 「の」. It is best to understand 「ことになっている」 as a single pattern. In actual use, you only need to check whether the preceding verb should be in the dictionary form or the 「ない」 form.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
| Affirmative rule | Dictionary form + ことになっている | 制服を着ることになっている |
| Negative rule | ない-form + ことになっている | 写真を撮らないことになっている |
| Polite form | Plain form + ことになっています | 受付で確認することになっています |
| Formal form | Plain form + ことになっております | 十時までに退室することになっております |
Three Uses of 「〜ことになっている」: Rules, Established Arrangements, and Group Conventions
Usage ① of 「〜ことになっている」｜Expressing Written Rules and Facility Regulations
When regulations clearly specify that something must or must not be done, 「〜ことになっている」 can be used to explain the rule as an existing system. This wording sounds softer than a direct command, but that does not mean the rule has less force. Prohibitions can be expressed with 「Vない＋ことになっている」, and in some contexts you may also see 「Vてはいけないことになっている」.
- Example: この会社では、入館するときに社員証を見せることになっています。
Kana: このかいしゃでは、にゅうかんするときにしゃいんしょうをみせることになっています。
Translation: At this company, employees are required to show their employee ID when entering.
The rule comes from the company system; the speaker is simply explaining the current procedure. - Example: 館内では、写真を撮らないことになっています。
Kana: かんないでは、しゃしんをとらないことになっています。
Translation: Photography is not allowed inside the facility.
「撮らない」 directly states what is prohibited and is common in facility rules. - Example: 申込書は前日までに提出することになっています。
Kana: もうしこみしょはぜんじつまでにていしゅつすることになっています。
Translation: The application form must be submitted by the previous day.
The deadline has already been set as part of the procedure; it is not a personal request made on the spot.
Usage ② of 「〜ことになっている」｜Expressing a Fixed Arrangement That Has Already Been Scheduled
「〜ことになっている」 can also describe schedules, shifts, or work assignments. These sentences do not necessarily imply punishment or strong obligation. The important point is that the arrangement has already been set and has not been changed. It can also be used for a one-time event, as long as the speaker treats it as a confirmed arrangement.
- Example: 会議は毎週月曜日に開くことになっています。
Kana: かいぎはまいしゅうげつようびにひらくことになっています。
Translation: The meeting is scheduled to be held every Monday.
「毎週」 clearly shows that this is a recurring fixed schedule. - Example: 来月から、田中さんが受付を担当することになっています。
Kana: らいげつから、たなかさんがうけつけをたんとうすることになっています。
Translation: It has been arranged for Tanaka to handle reception starting next month.
The division of responsibilities has already been finalized, but the arrangement has not yet begun. - Example: 見学のあとで、担当者と話すことになっています。
Kana: けんがくのあとで、たんとうしゃとはなすことになっています。
Translation: According to the schedule, we are to speak with the person in charge after the tour.
This is a one-time event already built into the schedule, not an everyday rule.
Usage ③ of 「〜ことになっている」｜Expressing a Practice Followed by a Group
Some practices may not be written in official documents but are nevertheless treated as shared rules within a club, local organization, or work team. 「〜ことになっている」 can express this kind of stable convention. However, when simply describing a naturally developed personal habit, it is more natural to use an expression such as 「〜習慣がある」 or state the habit directly.
- Example: この地域では、祭りの日に各家庭が提灯を出すことになっています。
Kana: このちいきでは、まつりのひにかくかていがちょうちんをだすことになっています。
Translation: In this area, it is customary for each household to put out lanterns on the day of the festival.
Because this is a shared local practice that has become close to a group rule, this pattern can be used. - Example: このサークルでは、新しい会員をみんなに紹介することになっています。
Kana: このサークルでは、あたらしいかいいんをみんなにしょうかいすることになっています。
Translation: In this club, new members are introduced to everyone.
Although this is not a legal rule, the club treats it as a fixed procedure. - Example: 当番の日は、最後に窓を確認することになっています。
Kana: とうばんのひは、さいごにまどをかくにんすることになっています。
Translation: On duty days, the rule is to check the windows at the end.
The sentence includes both a duty assignment and a shared safety procedure within the group.
What Is the Difference Between 「〜ことになっている」, 「〜ことにしている」, and 「〜ことになった」?
All three patterns may be translated into Chinese with words such as “decide” or “arrange,” but the main differences lie in how the matter was decided and which stage the speaker is describing. 「ことにしている」 implies that the person concerned made the choice and continues to follow it. 「ことになった」 describes a new result that came about through a decision, arrangement, or change in circumstances. 「ことになっている」 presents that result as a rule or arrangement that is already in effect now.
| Pattern | How It Was Decided | Time Focus | Common Contexts | Common Chinese Rendering |
| ことにしている | The person decides for themselves | Continuing to do it after the decision | Personal habits, self-imposed rules | Usually decide to… / make a habit of… |
| ことになった | Finalized through a decision, arrangement, or change in circumstances | “A new decision has now been made” | Transfers, schedule changes, work assignments | It has been decided that… / it turned out that… |
| ことになっている | An established rule, arrangement, or shared practice | The decision is still in effect | Company systems, fixed schedules, facility rules | It is required that… / it is arranged that… |
▌「ことになっている」 vs. 「ことにしている」｜Group Rule vs. Personal Habit
「ことになっている」 is generally used for an existing rule, arrangement, or fixed practice within a group, whereas 「ことにしている」 expresses something the person has decided for themselves and continues to do regularly. In Chinese, both may be translated with expressions involving “deciding” or “setting a rule,” but Japanese distinguishes between something already determined externally and a habit the person actively maintains.
- Example: 健康のために、毎朝歩くことになっています。
Kana: けんこうのために、まいあさあるくことになっています。
Translation: For health reasons, it is required that I walk every morning.
If the speaker simply means that they personally developed the habit of taking a morning walk for health reasons, this wording makes “walking every morning” sound as though it were determined by some external rule or arrangement, which does not fit the intended situation. - Example: 健康のために、毎朝歩くことにしています。
Kana: けんこうのために、まいあさあるくことにしています。
Translation: For my health, I make a point of walking every morning.
Walking every morning is a personal choice that the speaker continues to follow, so 「ことにしている」 is more natural.
▌「ことになった」 vs. 「ことになっている」｜New Decision vs. Current Arrangement
「ことになった」 describes a new outcome that has been decided through arrangements, discussion, or a change in circumstances. 「ことになっている」 describes the situation after that result has already been established, emphasizing that the arrangement is still in effect now. Both patterns can refer to future events, so they cannot be distinguished solely by time expressions such as “next month” or “next year.”
- Example: 来月から大阪で働くことになりました。
Kana: らいげつからおおさかではたらくことになりました。
Translation: It has been decided that I will start working in Osaka next month.
This sentence communicates a new decision and has the sense that “this has now been finalized.” The focus is on the result of the decision being formed. - Example: 来月から大阪で働くことになっています。
Kana: らいげつからおおさかではたらくことになっています。
Translation: The current arrangement is for me to start working in Osaka next month.
This sentence does not particularly emphasize when the decision was made. Instead, it presents “working in Osaka starting next month” as an already confirmed arrangement.
▌The Same “Working from Home Every Monday” Means Something Different with Each of the Three Patterns
Putting the three patterns into the same situation of “working from home every Monday” makes the difference easier to see than memorizing Chinese translations. If you personally decide, after considering your commute or work style, to make Monday your regular work-from-home day, use 「ことにしている」. If the company has just announced that Mondays will become work-from-home days starting next month, use 「ことになった」. Once the arrangement has already been finalized and you are simply explaining the company’s current system, use 「ことになっている」.
- Example: 毎週月曜日は在宅勤務をすることにしています。
Kana: まいしゅうげつようびはざいたくきんむをすることにしています。
Translation: I usually make Monday my work-from-home day.
「ことにしている」 shows that this is the speaker’s own choice and that they have continued following it over time. The nuance is close to “this is how I normally arrange things for myself,” and no company rule is required. - Example: 来月から、毎週月曜日は在宅勤務をすることになりました。
Kana: らいげつから、まいしゅうげつようびはざいたくきんむをすることになりました。
Translation: It has been decided that starting next month, we will work from home every Monday.
「ことになった」 focuses on the fact that this arrangement has just been decided. The decision may have been made by the company, or it may have resulted from discussion, but the main point is that “things were not like this before, but now this has been decided.” - Example: 毎週月曜日は在宅勤務をすることになっています。
Kana: まいしゅうげつようびはざいたくきんむをすることになっています。
Translation: The current arrangement is to work from home every Monday.
「ことになっている」 no longer focuses on when the decision was made. Instead, it explains that the arrangement remains in effect now. This is suitable for describing company policy, team schedules, or a fixed work arrangement.
Viewed together, ことになった → ことになっている can also be understood as two consecutive stages. First, 「来月から在宅勤務をすることになった」 means that the new arrangement has been decided. Once that arrangement remains in effect, you can say 「在宅勤務をすることになっている」. ことにしている, by contrast, follows a different line: it describes something the speaker actively chooses to keep doing and does not require an external rule to exist first.
Common Mistakes with 「〜ことになっている」: Personal Decisions, Current Rules, and 「ている」
「〜ことになっている」 cannot be used for every situation that can be described as “something has already been decided.” If you make a choice on the spot, such as deciding to eat ramen for dinner or suddenly choosing to take the train instead, you would normally use 「ことにした」. If you have set a personal habit and continue to follow it, such as walking every morning or avoiding sugary drinks, you would use 「ことにしている」. 「ことになっている」 is more appropriate when something has already become an established system, arrangement, or fixed practice within a group and is still being carried out that way now.
Another point that is easy to misunderstand is the final 「ている」. Here, 「ている」 does not indicate an action that is currently in progress. Instead, it indicates that the preceding decision has already been established and that the resulting state is still being maintained. For example, 「来月から大阪で働くことになっています」 does not mean that someone is currently deciding whether to work in Osaka. It means that “working in Osaka starting next month” has already been confirmed and is still the valid arrangement.
「ことになっている」 also does not mean there is no source of the decision at all. Rather, the sentence usually does not place the person or organization making the decision in the foreground. Company policies, facility rules, and group arrangements may all form the background, but the speaker is more interested in explaining “what the rule currently is” or “what the current arrangement is” than in identifying exactly who made the decision. When you encounter this pattern, first check whether the matter has already become a current rule or arrangement. That will give you a more accurate basis for deciding whether 「ことになっている」 fits than trying to map it directly from Chinese words such as “decision” or “rule.”
Practical Japanese for Travel: 「〜ことになっている」 in Hotels and Public Facilities
In Japanese hotels, hot springs, exhibition halls, and other public facilities, 「〜ことになっています」 is often used to explain existing rules of use. When staff speak more formally, the ending may become 「〜ことになっております」. These sentences are usually not making a new request on the spot; they are informing you that “this is how things are currently regulated here.” When you hear the pattern in practice, look at the verb before 「ことになっています／おります」. Verbs such as 「出る」, 「撮らない」, and 「入れない」 tell you what the facility is explaining. When you hear 「〜ないことになっています」, it usually introduces a prohibition. 「〜ていただくことになっております」 is common in hotels, at reception desks, and in other settings where rules are explained in a more formal manner.
▌Situation ①｜Using 「〜ことになっております」 at a Hotel to Explain the Check-Out Rule
A：チェックアウトは何時ですか。
チェックアウトはなんじですか。
What time is check-out?
B：午前十時までにお部屋を出ていただくことになっております。
ごぜんじゅうじまでにおへやをでていただくことになっております。
Under the hotel policy, guests are required to leave their rooms by 10:00 a.m.
📌 Grammar Point: 「出ていただくことになっております」 presents “leaving the room by 10:00 a.m.” as an existing hotel check-out rule. 「ことになっております」 is a more formal form of 「ことになっています」 and is commonly used at hotel front desks and in service settings.
▌Situation ②｜Using 「〜ことになっています」 in a Public Facility to Explain Photography Rules
A：ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。
ここでしゃしんをとってもいいですか。
May I take photos here?
B：この部屋では、写真を撮らないことになっています。
このへやでは、しゃしんをとらないことになっています。
Photography is not allowed in this room.
📌 Grammar Point: 「撮らないことになっています」 indicates that “not taking photos” is an existing rule currently in effect. 「Vない＋ことになっている」 can directly state a prohibition. The focus is on the rule itself, rather than on the staff member in front of you deciding whether photography is allowed.
▌Situation ③｜Using 「〜ことになっています」 at a Hot Spring to Explain Bathing Rules
A：このタオルをお風呂に入れてもいいですか。
このタオルをおふろにいれてもいいですか。
May I put this towel in the bath?
B：タオルは湯船に入れないことになっています。
タオルはゆぶねにいれないことになっています。
The rule is that towels must not be put into the bath.
📌 Grammar Point: 「入れないことになっています」 indicates that “towels must not be put into the bath” is a current rule at the hot spring. The 「ている」 here does not mean that someone is “currently prohibiting” the action; it shows that the rule has already been established and is still being applied.
Cultural Notes:
- In Japanese service settings, rules are often phrased as established systems. This communicates restrictions clearly without making the statement sound like a staff member is personally issuing a command on the spot.
- 「ことになっております」 is more formal than 「ことになっています」 and is commonly used at service counters, in business notices, and in public announcements. The rule itself is the same; the main difference is the level of politeness.
- On signs, shorter noun phrases such as 「撮影禁止」 and 「立入禁止」 are common. In full conversation, when a rule needs to be explained with reasons or additional conditions, 「〜ことになっている」 is easier to expand on.
How Does Japanese 「〜ことになっている」 Compare with Korean 「-기로 되어 있다」?
◆ Similar Grammar: Korean 「-기로 되어 있다」
Korean 「-기로 되어 있다」 can indicate that something has already been decided according to a rule, procedure, or prior arrangement and is still being carried out according to that arrangement. In this respect, it is very close to Japanese 「〜ことになっている」. It can be used when meetings are fixed for a particular day, when certain actions are prohibited in a location, or when participants are required to gather at a scheduled time. If you simply want to say that someone “must do something,” Korean usually uses 「-아/어야 하다」. 「-기로 되어 있다」 is closer to saying that “the rule or arrangement was already set up that way.”
- Example: 회의는 매주 월요일에 열리기로 되어 있어요.
Romanization: hoe-ui-neun mae-ju wol-yo-il-e yeol-li-gi-ro doe-eo i-sseo-yo.
Translation: The meeting is scheduled to be held every Monday.
「열리기로 되어 있어요」 means that holding the meeting every Monday has already been established as a fixed schedule, rather than being decided at that moment. Japanese can express a similar meaning with 「会議は毎週月曜日に開かれることになっています」. - Example: 건물 안에서는 담배를 피우지 않기로 되어 있습니다.
Romanization: geon-mul an-e-seo-neun dam-bae-reul pi-u-ji an-ki-ro doe-eo it-seum-ni-da.
Translation: Smoking is prohibited inside the building.
The negative content 「담배를 피우지 않다」 comes before 「-기로 되어 있다」 and indicates that the no-smoking rule is an existing rule currently in effect. Japanese 「建物の中では、たばこを吸わないことになっています」 works in the same way. - Example: 참가자는 아홉 시까지 모이기로 되어 있습니다.
Romanization: cham-ga-ja-neun a-hop si-kka-ji mo-i-gi-ro doe-eo it-seum-ni-da.
Translation: According to the schedule, participants are to gather by nine o’clock.
「모이기로 되어 있습니다」 indicates that the meeting time was arranged in advance and that the speaker is now explaining that arrangement. Event procedures and group schedules of this kind are also close to Japanese 「九時までに集まることになっています」.
◆ Differences from 「〜ことになっている」:
Japanese 「〜ことになっている」 and Korean 「-기로 되어 있다」 can both describe currently valid rules or established arrangements, so in many cases they can be compared directly. However, actual usage does not allow every sentence to be replaced word for word. In Japanese, 「〜ことになっております」 is common in hotels, business situations, and formal service contexts, while Korean can use the formal ending 「-기로 되어 있습니다」.
Also, 「-기로 되어 있다」 should not be confused with Korean 「-게 되어 있다」. 「-기로 되어 있다」 is generally related to rules, agreements, or arrangements that have already been decided. 「-게 되어 있다」 has a wider range of uses and can also describe outcomes that naturally result from a particular structure, condition, or mechanism. When you see Korean 「되어 있다」, you still need to check whether it is preceded by 「-기로」 or 「-게」 rather than interpreting every instance as equivalent to Japanese 「〜ことになっている」.
Japanese 「〜ことになっている」 is often translated into Chinese as “it is required that…,” “it is arranged that…,” or “by convention…,” but when you encounter the pattern in an actual sentence, there is no need to decide first which Chinese translation applies. When you see 「ことになっている」, you can first understand it as meaning “this has already been decided, and that state still holds now.” A company requirement to show identification when entering, a hotel rule requiring guests to check out before ten, and a staffing assignment that has already been set for next month can all be understood from this perspective.
Compared with similar patterns, the difference usually lies in two areas. For a personal lifestyle habit that you chose yourself and continue over time, 「ことにしている」 is more natural. When something has just been finalized after an arrangement or a change in circumstances and the focus is on the fact that “it has been decided,” use 「ことになった」. Once it becomes 「ことになっている」, the focus shifts from the decision itself to the current state after the decision, indicating that the rule or arrangement is still in effect.
If you hear service staff say 「〜ことになっております」 while traveling, the same method works. Look for the verb before the pattern, and you can identify whether the facility is explaining the check-out time, a usage restriction, or some other established procedure. 「ことになっております」 is simply a more formal form of 「ことになっています」; it does not add a new grammatical meaning to the situation itself.
Therefore, the most practical way to understand Japanese 「〜ことになっている」 is to first determine whether the matter has already become a currently valid rule, arrangement, or fixed practice, and then distinguish it from 「ことにしている」, which means “I keep doing this by my own choice,” and 「ことになった」, which focuses on “this has just been decided.” This approach makes the three patterns less likely to be confused than memorizing each one as a single Chinese translation.
FAQs
「〜ことになっている」 indicates that an established rule, fixed arrangement, or shared practice is still in effect. It does not emphasize who made the decision, but presents the content as an already established system or schedule.
The former generally refers to an external rule or established arrangement, while the latter refers to a habit the person actively maintains. A company rule requiring daily clock-ins can use 「ことになっている」, while a personal decision to walk every day uses 「ことにしている」.
「ことになった」 focuses on the result of an externally formed decision, while 「ことになっている」 focuses on the state in which that decision remains valid afterward. Both can refer to future events, so the date on which the event occurs is not enough to distinguish them.
Yes. Use 「verb ない-form＋ことになっている」. For example, 「写真を撮らないことになっています」 means that taking photos is prohibited under the current rule.
Both express the same rule or arrangement, but 「ことになっております」 is more formal and polite. It is more common at hotel front desks, airlines, in business notices, and in formal announcements.