いくばくもなく

い

く

ば

く

も

な

く

Meanings

adverb

not long after; before long; soon

usually written using kana alone

Used to describe something happening shortly after a previous event. Often appears in narrative or written contexts. The phrase emphasizes that only a short time has passed.

彼かれが帰かえったあと、幾いくばくもなく雨あめが降ふり出だした。
Not long after he left, it started raining.
新あたらしい店みせは開かい店てんして幾いくばくもなく閉へい店てんした。
The new store closed before long after opening.

Kanji

幾how many, how much, how far
許permit, approve
何what
無nothingness, none, ain't

Related words

間まもなく
間もなく is more common and neutral for 'soon' or 'before long'. 幾ばくもなく is slightly more literary and emphasizes the shortness of the interval.
ほどなく
ほどなく is similar in meaning and register, but 幾ばくもなく can feel a bit more emphatic about the brevity of time.

Written forms

幾いくばくもなく
Mixed kanji-kana spelling is common and clear. It is usually written in kana.
幾許いくばくもなく
Full kanji spelling using 幾許; less common and may be considered stiff or literary.
幾何いくばくもなく
Full kanji spelling using 幾何; rare and potentially confusing because 幾何 is usually read きか (geometry).
幾何いくばくも無なく
幾いくばくも無なく
幾許いくばくも無なく

Etymology

From 幾ばく (how much, how many) + も (inclusive particle) + なく (adverbial form of ない). Literally 'not even a little (time) passing', it came to mean 'before long'.