〜や否や: 'The Moment That' (Meaning + Examples)
No gap between two events
〜や否や attaches to a verb in dictionary form and means "the instant [that verb] happens, [second event happens]." The two events are presented as essentially simultaneous — the second follows so fast it might as well be automatic.
彼はその知らせを聞くや否や、すぐに病院へ駆けつけた。
かれは その しらせを きくや いなや、すぐに びょういんへ かけつけた。
The moment he heard the news, he rushed straight to the hospital.
Hearing and rushing happen with no gap between them.
ドアが開くや否や、犬が飛び出してきた。
どあが ひらくや いなや、いぬが とびだしてきた。
No sooner had the door opened than the dog leapt out.
やったんはベルが鳴るや否や、おやつのもちに向かって駆け出した。
やったんは べるが なるや いなや、おやつの もちに むかって かけだした。
The instant the bell rang, Yattan dashed off toward the snack, Mochi.
Original example: bell rings, Yattan reacts with zero delay.
Form: Verb (dictionary form) + や否や
や否や attaches directly to a verb's plain, non-past (dictionary) form. It's a fixed, literary phrase — it doesn't take negative or past forms.
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | Vる + や否や | 到着するや否や = the moment it arrives |
| Verb (dictionary form) | Vる + や否や | 見るや否や = the instant one sees |
電車が到着するや否や、乗客が一斉に降り始めた。
でんしゃが とうちゃくするや いなや、じょうきゃくが いっせいに おりはじめた。
The moment the train arrived, the passengers all began getting off at once.
Not the same as 〜たとたんに
〜たとたんに also means "the moment ~," but it's more neutral and usable in conversation, describing a surprising or unplanned coincidence (ドアを開けたとたん、雨が降り出した — "the moment I opened the door, it started raining"). 〜や否や is stiffer and more literary, and it emphasizes the near-total absence of a time gap between two deliberate or dramatic events, often in narrative writing rather than casual speech.
The short version
- 〜や否や = "the moment that / no sooner than" — near-zero gap between two events.
- Attaches to: verb dictionary form + や否や.
- Nuance/register: formal, literary, used for dramatic or vivid sequences.
- Don't confuse with: 〜たとたんに, a more everyday "the moment ~" for surprising coincidences.
Practice it
Choose the correct use of 〜や否や to describe one event immediately following another.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
彼はその知らせを聞く＿＿＿、すぐに病院へ駆けつけた。
Where 〜や否や fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜において · N2 — 〜において is the formal, written equivalent of で/に, marking a location, time, or field of activity: 現代において ('in modern times'). Learn the pattern plus its adnominal form における.
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜ゆえに — 〜ゆえに is a formal, literary expression meaning 'therefore' or 'because of' — it attaches to nouns and adjectives (often with が or の) to state a reason in written, academic, or classical-sounding Japanese.
- 〜ざる — 〜ざる is the classical attributive negative form (from ず), fossilized today in formal set phrases like ざるを得ない ('cannot help but'), ざる事情 ('unavoidable circumstances'), and ざるべからず ('must not fail to').
- 〜ずくめ — 〜ずくめ attaches to a noun to mean 'nothing but / entirely' — describing a situation, outfit, or run of events made up of one single thing, color, or quality with no exceptions, often positive (いいことずくめ) or visually total (黒ずくめ).
- 〜を控えて — 〜を控えて means 'with (an event) coming up soon,' marking an upcoming occasion — an exam, wedding, or election — that explains why someone is busy or acting a certain way now.
- 〜をもって — 〜をもって is a formal written expression meaning 'by means of X' or, with a time noun, 'as of / effective X' — standard in official announcements, contracts, ceremonies, and business closing notices.
- 〜始末だ — 〜始末だ attaches to a clause to mean 'it ended up in [this bad state],' summing up a chain of bad decisions or events with criticism or regret — 無駄遣いばかりして、ついに始末だ ('kept wasting money, and it ended up like this').