たなりRemaining in the state after an action
たなり says that the state created by an action remains unchanged. It can describe what someone does while maintaining that state, or an unresolved situation in which an expected return, response, or further movement never occurs.
How the two parts connect
The first action must create a recognizable state, such as sitting down, standing at a doorway, leaving home, entering somewhere, or falling silent. The following part then describes what happens while that state remains, or makes clear that an expected change has still not happened.
Maintained and unresolved states
Physical posture and unresolved absence are especially characteristic contexts.
椅子に腰を下ろしたなり、窓の外をじっと見つめていた。
After sitting down, he remained there gazing intently out the window.
AnalyzeThe seated posture created by the first action continues while the person looks outside.
男は戸口に立ったなりで、しばらくこちらを見ていた。
The man remained standing in the doorway and watched us for a while.
Analyze彼は五年前に家を出たなり、今も消息が分からない。
He left home five years ago, and his whereabouts are still unknown.
AnalyzeThe expected return or renewed contact never occurred, so the unresolved result of leaving continues into the present.
The verb form changes the meaning
Plain past + なり presents a result state that persists. Dictionary form + なり instead means that the next event occurs immediately. For an ordinary unchanged state, たまま is more neutral and productive. たきり more strongly emphasizes that an action has not happened again or that an expected next event is missing.
彼は部屋に入るなり、窓を開けた。
As soon as he entered the room, he opened the window.
AnalyzeThis neighboring construction uses the dictionary form and expresses immediate sequence, not a maintained state.
彼は部屋に入ったなり、朝まで出てこなかった。
He went into the room and did not come out until morning.
AnalyzeThe plain past form presents his remaining inside as the continuing result.
More examples
彼女はうつむいたなり、最後まで口を開かなかった。
She kept her head lowered and did not speak until the end.
Analyze祖父は椅子に座ったなりで、庭の桜を眺めていた。
My grandfather remained seated, looking at the cherry blossoms in the garden.
Analyzeその船は港を出たなり、二度と戻らなかった。
The ship left the harbor and never returned.
Analyze彼は研究室に入ったなり、翌朝まで姿を見せなかった。
He went into the laboratory and was not seen again until the following morning.
Analyze犯人は森へ逃げ込んだなり、今も行方が知れない。
The culprit fled into the forest, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Analyze彼は黙り込んだなり、問いかけにも答えなかった。
He fell silent and did not even answer the questions put to him.
Analyze