expression, adverb
out of the blue; all of a sudden; unexpectedly
Idiomatic expression describing something that happens abruptly and without any prior indication, often with a nuance of surprise or inappropriateness. Literally 'like a stick from a thicket'.
彼は藪から棒に辞職すると言い出した。
Out of the blue, he announced he was resigning.
藪から棒にそんなことを聞かれても困る。
I don't know what to say when you ask me something like that all of a sudden.