adverbial N2 common casualpolitewritten
案外 — unexpectedly / surprisingly
案外 ・ あんがい
Meaning
- unexpectedly / more (or less) than expected — reality differs from what one assumed, usually mildly surprising
Marks a gap between expectation and reality, often a pleasant or relieving one; lighter and more conversational than 意外と's sharper surprise.
Key sentence
試験は案外簡単だった。
The exam was easier than I expected.
Examples
心配したが、案外うまくいった。
I'd been worried, but it went better than expected.
彼は案外優しいところがある。
He has a surprisingly kind side to him.
Easily confused with
Notes
- 案外 and 意外と are frequently interchangeable; don't confuse 案外 with the unrelated noun 以外 'except'.
See 案外 in real sentences
Jengo shows 案外 the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.