(Meaning, Usage, and Examples)
📌 What is ～と思いきや?
～と思いきや is a Japanese conjunction that means:
- “I thought… but actually…”
- “Contrary to what I expected…”
- “I assumed… but surprisingly…”
It’s used when something turns out to be different from what you or people naturally expected.
It adds a nuance of surprise or unexpectedness.
📖 Structure
| Part of Speech | Structure |
|---|---|
| Noun / Verb / Adjective (Plain form) | [Plain form] + と思いきや |
✅ You state what you (or people generally) thought would happen, followed by the actual, surprising outcome.
🎨 Meaning in Context
～と思いきや works like saying:
- “I thought it would be… but instead…”
- “Contrary to what I believed…”
- “Surprisingly, it turned out…”
It expresses a stronger, more dramatic surprise than ～と思ったら.
📚 Example Sentences
| Japanese Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| 今日は晴れると思いきや、急に雨が降り出した。 | I thought it would be sunny today, but it suddenly started to rain. |
| 簡単だと思いきや、実はとても難しかった。 | I thought it was going to be easy, but it turned out to be very difficult. |
| 安いと思いきや、意外と高かった。 | I thought it was cheap, but it was unexpectedly expensive. |
| 優勝すると思いきや、一回戦で負けた。 | I thought they would win the championship, but they lost in the first round. |
📌 Nuances & Tone
- Often used in spoken and written Japanese
- Implies personal surprise or breaking a general assumption
- Often comes with a sense of contrast or contradiction
- Slightly more dramatic or expressive than neutral expressions like ～と思ったら
📝 Comparison with Similar Expressions
| Expression | Usage | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| ～と思ったら | Noticed something right after another event | Simple observation |
| ～のに | Even though… | Strong emotion (often frustration) |
| ～とはいえ | Admitting a fact but still… | Polite contradiction |
| ～といえども | Even if it’s true… | Formal, literary |
| ～と思いきや | I thought it would be… but actually… | Surprise, dramatic twist |
⚠️ Usage Notes
- Use when you want to set up an expectation and then break it
- Can be used in both positive and negative surprises
- Often used in conversational Japanese, blogs, novels, and news headlines
- Don’t use in overly casual conversations — it adds a bit of dramatic flavor
✅ Practice Exercise
Translate into Japanese using ～と思いきや:
- I thought it would be easy, but it was very complicated.
- I expected him to be angry, but he was surprisingly calm.
- I assumed it was cheap, but it was more expensive than I thought.
Possible Answers:
- 簡単だと思いきや、とても複雑だった。
- 怒ると思いきや、意外と冷静だった。
- 安いと思いきや、思ったより高かった。
📝 Summary Table
| Grammar | ～と思いきや |
|---|---|
| Meaning | I thought… but / Contrary to what I expected… |
| Structure | [Plain form] + と思いきや |
| Nuance | Strong contrast between expectation and reality |
| Usage | Spoken and written, slightly dramatic or expressive |
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