あっという間まに

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

in an instant; in a flash; in no time at all

Describes something happening so quickly that it feels almost instantaneous. Often used when an event or change occurs before one realizes it.

あっという間まに夏なつ休やすみが終おわってしまった。
Summer vacation was over in the blink of an eye.
彼かれはあっという間まにその問もん題だいを解といた。
He solved the problem in no time at all.

Kanji

間interval, space
言say, word

Related words

瞬またたく間まに
瞬く間に is a more literary synonym meaning 'in the twinkling of an eye', while あっという間に is the everyday colloquial equivalent.
すぐにN5
すぐに just means 'immediately' or 'soon', whereas あっという間に adds the subjective sense that the speed was surprising.
みるみるN1
あっという間に stresses how surprisingly short the time was, while みるみる highlights watching the visible change unfold.

Written forms

あっという間まに
Standard kana-kanji mixed spelling; the most common written form.
あっと言いう間まに
Variant with 言う in kanji; less common but still seen.

Etymology

Derived from the phrase あっと言う間 (the time it takes to say 'ah'), with the adverbial particle に. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it is a natural colloquial expression for a very short time.