思おもいがけず

お

も

い

が

け

ず

JLPTN2

Meanings

1

expression, adverb

unexpectedly; surprisingly

Expresses that something happens contrary to expectation or without prior notice. Often used when the outcome is positive or neutral.

思おもいがけず、昔むかしの

友とも

達だち

に

街まち

で

会あ

っ

た

。

I unexpectedly ran into an old friend in town.

試し験けんに思おもいがけず合ごう格かくした。

I passed the exam surprisingly.

Kanji

思think
掛hang, suspend, depend

Related words

意い外がいN3
意外 is a na-adjective/noun meaning 'unexpected', often used as 意外に, while 思いがけず is a set adverbial expression with a slightly more literary or emphatic feel.
突とつ然ぜんN3
突然 emphasizes the suddenness of an event, whereas 思いがけず focuses on how contrary to expectation the event was.
不ふ意いにN1
不意に stresses that something happens without warning at that instant, while 思いがけず stresses that the outcome itself was unforeseen.

Written forms

思おもいがけず
Standard spelling.
思おもい掛がけず
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 掛 is not common in this word.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 思う (to think) + 掛ける (to hang/set) in its negative continuative form, literally 'without having thought to set (one's mind)'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the expression has been used adverbially since at least the Edo period.