を頼りに details
relying on N; using N as one's guide or support
スマホの地図アプリを頼りに、なんとか駅まで辿り着いたよ。
sumaho no chizu apuri o tayori ni, nantoka eki made tadoritsuita yo.
Relying on the map app on my phone, I somehow made it to the station. casual
彼女は乏しい記憶を頼りに、子供時代を過ごした町を探した。
kanojo wa toboshii kioku o tayori ni, kodomo jidai o sugoshita machi o sagashita.
Relying on her scant memories, she searched for the town where she'd spent her childhood. neutral
- colloquial
- literary
Examples
relying on N; using N as one's guide or support — often while navigating uncertainty
スマホの地図アプリを頼りに、なんとか駅まで辿り着いたよ。
sumaho no chizu apuri o tayori ni, nantoka eki made tadoritsuita yo.
Relying on the map app on my phone, I somehow made it to the station. casual
彼女は乏しい記憶を頼りに、子供時代を過ごした町を探した。
kanojo wa toboshii kioku o tayori ni, kodomo jidai o sugoshita machi o sagashita.
Relying on her scant memories, she searched for the town where she'd spent her childhood. neutral
右も左も分からない中、諸先輩方のご助言を頼りに、どうにか業務を覚えることができました。
migi mo hidari mo wakaranai naka, shosenpaigata no go jogen o tayori ni, dounika gyoumu o oboeru koto ga dekimashita.
Not knowing which way was up, I was somehow able to learn the job by relying on the advice of my senior colleagues. formal
Formation
{N}をたよりにattaches to noun
Variant notes
- を頼りにして — the everyday alternant with にして inserted — 地図を頼りにして歩く; interchangeable with を頼りに in both speech and writing.
- を頼りとして — とする-based tail reads bookish — reports and retrospective narration; interchangeable in meaning with を頼りに.
Related patterns
Similar
Both are を…に frames naming what an action is grounded on, but を頼りに keeps the literal sense of 頼る "to depend on" — N is a guide or support someone leans on when they'd otherwise be lost or unsure (地図を頼りに歩く "walk relying on a map", 記憶を頼りに "relying on memory"), while をもとに treats N as raw material something is built, written, or decided FROM, with no dependence or uncertainty implied (経験をもとに小説を書く) — swap them and "relying on the map" turns into "using the map as source material."