Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

にわかに Japanese meaning | Kotomora

にわかに

に

わ

か

に

Common word›JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

suddenly; abruptly; unexpectedly

usually written using kana alone

Describes a sudden, often surprising change or occurrence. Commonly used in the phrase にわかには信じがたい (hard to believe suddenly).

空そら

が

にわか

に

曇くも

っ

て

、

雨あめ

が

降ふ

り

出だ

し

た

。

The sky suddenly clouded over and it started to rain.

その知しらせはにわかには信しんじられなかった。

I couldn't believe the news all of a sudden.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉がにわかに変かわるfor a situation or condition to change suddenly and unexpectedly
天てん気きがにわかに変かわり、雨あめが降ふり出だした。
The weather suddenly changed and it started to rain.
にわかには〈動どう詞し〉がたいhard to do (something like believe) right away, on the spot
彼かれの話はなしはにわかには信しんじがたい。
His story is hard to believe right off the bat.
空そらがにわかに曇くもるfor the sky to suddenly cloud over
空そらがにわかに曇くもり、風かぜも強つよくなってきた。
The sky suddenly clouded over and the wind picked up too.

Kanji

俄sudden, abrupt, improvised

Related words

突とつ然ぜんN3
突然 is the most common, neutral word for 'suddenly' usable in almost any context, while 俄かに is more literary and stresses an unexpected shift in a situation or condition.
急きゅうにN4
急に is a very common, casual word for something happening quickly or suddenly, whereas 俄かに is rarer and implies an abrupt change with no prior sign.
突とつ如じょN2
突如 and 俄かに are both literary words for 'suddenly', but 突如 tends to describe a dramatic single event while 俄かに often describes a change in weather, mood, or circumstances.
不ふ意いにN1
不意に stresses that something happens without warning and catches someone off guard, while 俄かに focuses on the speed and abruptness of a change itself.
俄が然ぜんN1
俄然 shares the kanji 俄 with 俄かに and means 'all of a sudden', but 俄然 is used mainly before a change in state or attitude (俄然やる気になった) while 俄かに is broader and more literary.

Opposites

徐じょ々じょにN3
徐々に describes something happening gradually and slowly, the opposite of 俄かに, which describes an abrupt, sudden change.

Written forms

俄にわかに
Kanji spelling with okurigana; rarely used in modern writing.
俄にわかに
Kanji spelling without okurigana; very rare and literary.

Etymology

Derived from the classical Japanese adjective にはか (俄), meaning 'sudden' or 'unexpected'. The adverbial form にわかに has been used since the Heian period.