Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

不意に (ふいに) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

不ふ意いに

ふ

い

に

Common wordJLPTN1

Meanings

1

adverb

suddenly; abruptly; unexpectedly

Describes an action or event that happens without warning, often catching someone off guard. Used in both physical and emotional contexts.

不ふ意いに雨あめが降ふり出だした。
Suddenly it started to rain.
彼かれは不ふ意いに立たち止どまった。
He stopped abruptly.

Kanji

不negative, non-, bad
意idea, mind, heart

Similar words

突とつ然ぜん
突然 is a more common and versatile word for 'suddenly', while 不意に emphasizes the unexpectedness and lack of warning, often with a nuance of being caught off guard.
急きゅうに
急に focuses on the speed or abruptness of a change, whereas 不意に highlights the surprise or unforeseen nature of the event.

Etymology

Derived from the noun 不意 (ふい, 'unexpectedness') with the adverbial particle に. The kanji 不 (not) and 意 (mind/thought) together convey something not in one's thoughts, hence 'unexpected'.