Meaning & usage
や否や and やいなや express that a second action happened the instant after a first action, with a nuance of surprise or immediacy. They attach to the dictionary form of a verb, as in 見るやいなや or 到着するや否や, and the following clause is normally in the past tense. Both forms are formal and literary, with や否や sounding more stiff than やいなや, and they are not used for commands, requests, or the speaker's own intentional next action.
Example sentences 8
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彼を見るやいなや私は彼が怒っているのがわかった。
The instant I saw him I knew he was angry.
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その音を聞くやいなや、犬は逃げていきました。
On hearing the sound, the dog rushed away.
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その子はお母さんを見るやいなやワッと泣き出した。
No sooner had the child seen his mother than he burst into tears.
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その警官の姿を見かけるや否や、彼は逃げ出した。
The instant he saw the policeman, he ran away.
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彼は警官を見るや否や逃亡した。
As soon as he saw the policeman, he ran away.
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彼が到着するや否や、バスは出発した。
No sooner had he arrived than the bus departed.
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その犬は私の姿を見るやいなや逃げて行った。
Scarcely had the dog seen me before it ran away.
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警官を見るやいなや、彼は逃げ出した。
The instant he saw the policeman, he ran away.
