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心のスキマを埋めるには―恋がいちばん！

The context is the following: The girl is explaining to the guy that in order to free the victim from a "ghost", he needs to fill their heart "void", so shes saying that "The best way to do it is with love".

I've read "all" the uses of particle に and can't figure out what is it doing there, "心のスキマを埋める" don't seems to me like the "location of existence" of something, nor the "direction of the action" (there's not even an action in that phrase right??, is not the "object of the verb" either, etc etc...

I know that the は particle here is doing like a "contrast" nuance, saying something like "as compared to other methods", just not sure about the に particle.

Thank you beforehand, and sorry if its a hard to explain question.

Koutta
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2 Answers2

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This usage is to indicate purpose, it is short for "~ためには". In context "In order to fill the void of the victim's heart, love is the best!"
「心のスキマを埋めるためには―恋がいちばん！」

Read more here

Nadya
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  • Oh thank you! never noticed it was short for ために. ありがとうございます – Koutta Sep 03 '18 at 18:11
  • Shouldn't it be without る before に (in original sentence) in this case? – sklott Sep 03 '18 at 18:45
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    @sklott No, please refer to the "Conjugation Recap" section of the link I provided. Then refer to the fourth scenario for Objective-Marking. "Verb of Volition + ためには + Expression of Obligation". The ～ために comes after the verb - such as in the phrase 「英語を習得するためには、あなたの生活の中で英語の優先順位を高くしましょう。」 – Nadya Sep 03 '18 at 18:54
  • @Nadya Then I'm confused what is difference between に as short for ために, and "Usage of に to indicate purpose" https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/56428/usage-of-%E3%81%AB-to-indicate-purpose – sklott Sep 03 '18 at 19:07
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    @sklott The difference is hard to explain, please see https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/21650/what-is-the-difference-between-%E3%81%9F%E3%82%81%E3%81%AB-and-masu-root-verb-%E3%81%AB for an explanation. Also, for this answer, keep in mind that 「～には」 is not 「～に」 but a shortened 「～ためには」 – Nadya Sep 03 '18 at 19:39
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According to "A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar", page 289:
には: a conjunction/compound particle to indicate a purpose for doing something.
It translates to "to", "in order to", "for the purpose of"

Examples:
豊かな生活を送りには健康が第一だ。
In order to lead a rich life, health should be your primary concern.

ハイヒールはハイキングには不向きだ。
High-heeled shoes are unsuitable for hiking.

hisao m
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    `豊かな生活を送りには` -- 「送るには」の書き間違いですね。例文と英訳も、A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar からの引用ですか？ – Chocolate Sep 25 '18 at 15:22
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    もしもし？日本語分かりますか？　「送**り**には」であってんの？　本当に？「送**る**には」の写し間違いじゃないのね？ – Chocolate Sep 25 '18 at 23:03