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〜と思いきや

toikiya

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Meaning

I thought …, but (unexpectedly) …

Xと思いきや means "I thought X, but contrary to that…". きや is a classical question ending, so the phrase literally asks "did I think X? (no, it turned out otherwise)". The second clause reports the surprising reality.

Both registers; slightly literary but common in speech, blogs and narration. Expresses the speaker's surprise at an outcome opposite to expectation.

Formation

V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

  • Plain form + と思いきや
  • Noun / na-adjective + (だ) + と思いきや
  • Vる + か + と思いきや (怒るかと思いきや)

Visual diagram

  1. Step 1今日は晴れると思ったI thought it would be sunny
  2. Step 2今日は晴れると思ったが、大雨になったI thought so, but it poured (neutral contrast)
  3. Step 3今日は晴れると思いきや、大雨になったI thought so, but unexpectedly it poured (surprise)

Natural examples

  1. 今日は晴れると思いきや、午後から大雨になった。

    きょうははれるとおもいきや、ごごからおおあめになった。

    I thought it would be sunny today, but it poured from the afternoon.

    Expectation (sunny) reversed by heavy rain.

  2. 試験は簡単だと思いきや、意外に難しかった。

    しけんはかんたんだとおもいきや、いがいにむずかしかった。

    I thought the exam would be easy, but it was surprisingly hard.

    The exam was expected to be easy; the reality differed.

  3. 彼は怒るかと思いきや、笑って許してくれた。

    かれはおこるかとおもいきや、わらってゆるしてくれた。

    I thought he would be angry, but he laughed and forgave me.

    怒るかと思いきや: か before と思いきや is common with verbs.

  4. 会議はすぐ終わると思いきや、三時間も続いた。

    かいぎはすぐおわるとおもいきや、さんじかんもつづいた。

    I thought the meeting would end quickly, but it went on for three hours.

    Duration surprise.

  5. 静かな町だと思いきや、夜になると若者で賑わっていた。

    しずかなまちだとおもいきや、よるになるとわかものでにぎわっていた。

    I thought it was a quiet town, but at night it was bustling with young people.

    Na-adjective + だ + と思いきや.

Similar grammar and the difference

Common mistakes

  • ✗
    晴れると思いきや、本当に晴れた。
    ✓
    晴れると思いきや、大雨になった。
    Why
    The second clause must contradict the expectation.
  • ✗
    晴れる思いきや
    ✓
    晴れると思いきや
    Why
    と is required before 思いきや.
  • ✗
    明日は晴れると思いきや、傘を持っていこう。
    ✓
    明日は晴れると思うが、傘を持っていこう。
    Why
    思いきや reports a past reversal, not a plan.

Frequent partners: てっきり, 意外にも, 実は, なんと. The second clause is usually in the past tense. Works as a story-telling device to create a small twist.

JLPT N1 tips

On the exam

  • The signature is expectation → opposite past outcome; look for 意外に / 実は in the second clause.
  • Distractors: と思うと (mostly "as soon as"), とみえて (inference), ものの (mild contrast).
  • と is obligatory: an option without it (思いきや alone after a plain form) is wrong.

Frequently asked questions

What does 〜と思いきや mean?

I thought …, but (unexpectedly) …. Xと思いきや means "I thought X, but contrary to that…". きや is a classical question ending, so the phrase literally asks "did I think X? (no, it turned out otherwise)". The second clause reports the surprising reality.

How do you form 〜と思いきや?

Plain form + と思いきや / Noun / na-adjective + (だ) + と思いきや / Vる + か + と思いきや (怒るかと思いきや). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

When is 〜と思いきや used?

Both registers; slightly literary but common in speech, blogs and narration. Expresses the speaker's surprise at an outcome opposite to expectation.

What is the difference between 〜と思いきや and 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら?

Also "thought X, but…", though it more often means "no sooner than"; 思いきや always means a reversed expectation.

What is the difference between 〜と思いきや and 〜ものの?

"Although"; a calmer contrast without surprise.

What is a common mistake with 〜と思いきや?

Wrong: 晴れると思いきや、本当に晴れた。 Right: 晴れると思いきや、大雨になった。 The second clause must contradict the expectation.

Quick check

1 / 5Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

簡単に解ける問題だ（　　）、一時間かかってしまった。