まさか

adverb

certainly (not); surely (not); hardly (expected)

Adverbial use with a negative verb, meaning 'it cannot possibly be that...' or 'there is no way that...'. Emphasizes strong doubt or denial.

• まさか彼かれが犯はん人にんだとは思おもわなかった。

  I never thought he could be the culprit.

• まさかそんなことはないでしょう。

  Surely that can't be true.

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

unexpected event; emergency; contingency

Noun or no-adjective referring to an unforeseen, often undesirable situation. Common in the set phrase まさかの時 (in case of emergency).

See also: まさかの時

• まさかの時ときに備そなえて貯ちょ金きんしておく。

  I save money in case of an emergency.

• まさかの事じ態たいに慌あわてないように。

  Don't panic in an unexpected situation.

adverb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

indeed; really; truly; unexpectedly

Adverbial or no-adjective use expressing that something is surprisingly true or real, often with a nuance of 'contrary to expectation'. Can be used in affirmative sentences, unlike sense 2.

See also: 本当に

• まさか本ほん当とうに来くるとは思おもわなかった。

  I didn't think you'd actually come.

• まさかの大だい逆ぎゃく転てん勝しょう利りだった。

  It was a truly unexpected come-from-behind victory.

noun

the present; the here and now; current situation

Archaic noun meaning the present moment or current circumstances. No longer used in modern Japanese outside of historical or literary contexts.

• 古こ文ぶんでは「まさか」が「今いま、この場ば」を意い味みすることがある。

  In classical Japanese, まさか can mean 'now, this place'.