connective N1 uncommon casualwritten
〜かと思いきや — just when one thought ~, contrary to expectation ~
〜かと思いきや ・ かとおもいきや
Meaning
- just when one thought ~, contrary to expectation … — sets up an assumption, then reports the surprising reality that overturns it
Key sentence
もう春かと思いきや、また雪が降り出した。
Just when I thought it was finally spring, it started snowing again.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain clause (Verb/い-adj plain; な-adj/Noun + だ optional) | [plain clause] + かと思いきや + [the surprising actual result] | 勝ったかと思いきや |
When: Literary/written-leaning; the second clause is always a genuine surprise that contradicts the first.
Examples
簡単な問題かと思いきや、誰も解けなかった。
I'd assumed it was an easy problem, but contrary to expectation no one could solve it.
怒られるかと思いきや、逆に褒められた。
Just when I thought I'd be scolded, I was praised instead.
Easily confused with
Notes
- 思いきや is an old literary form (思う + や); the whole phrase has a slightly dramatic, storytelling flavour.
See 〜かと思いきや in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜かと思いきや the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.