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In the second volume of 君死にたもう流星群 I found this sentence:

> 理由は分かるようで分からなかった

The character is confused by the events, and as far as I understand he is
saying he doesn't understand why a friend of his is leaving school, and
another one shut him out, but I can't understand the form 分かるようで分からなかった. Why
isn't it just 理由は分からなかった? What does "分かるようで" add?

I tried looking online and in my grammar books, but I didn't find any meaning
that seems fit to this case, just the usual "seeming".
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2023-02-21T22:15:03.370
98666
2023-02-21T23:03:52.910
2023-02-21T22:26:06.123
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question
grammar particles
Meaning of verb ようで negative verb
You're right about it translating to just "seems like". You could probably
translate it as

> 理由は分かるようで分からなかった  
>  I feel like I'm starting to understand the reason, but I don't.

It gives the nuance that you are beginning understand, but you need another
push over the edge. On the other hand, 「理由はわからなかった」 just means "I don't
understand the reason", and implies that the speaker is completely unaware.

* * *

分かる＋よう (seems like)＋で (conjunction)＋分からない
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2023-02-21T22:57:52.403
98668
2023-02-21T23:03:52.910
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answer