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途端 (とたん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

途と端たん

と

た

ん

Common word›JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

just as; the moment; as soon as

Used in the pattern 〜た途端（に）to mean 'just as something happened' or 'the very moment after'. Emphasizes immediate, often unexpected, consequence.

家いえを出でた途と端たんに

雨あめ

が

降ふ

り

出だ

し

た

。

The moment I left the house, it started raining.

彼かれは試し験けんが終おわった途と端たん、緊きん張ちょうが解とけた。

As soon as the exam was over, his tension melted away.

Usage patterns

〈動どう詞し〉た途と端たん（に）〈事こと〉the moment/just as one thing happened, another (often unexpected) thing followed
家いえを出でた途と端たんに、雨あめが降ふり出だした。
The moment I left the house, it started raining.
〈動どう詞し〉た途と端たん、〈事こと〉right as one thing happened, something surprising happened
彼かの女じょの顔かおを見みた途と端たん、緊きん張ちょうして声こえが出でなかった。
The moment I saw her face, I got so nervous I couldn't speak.

Grammar

たとたん（に）The instant thatN3

Kanji

途route, way, road
端edge, origin, end

Related words

瞬しゅん間かんN3
瞬間 is a general noun meaning 'moment' or 'instant', while 途端 is specifically used in the pattern 〜た途端（に）to stress that something happened immediately after another action.
や否いなや
や否や is a more formal, literary way of saying 'as soon as', while 途端 is common in everyday speech and writing.
矢や先さきN1
矢先 (as in 〜た矢先に) also marks 'just when' something happened, but often implies the new event interrupted or contrasted with what was about to happen, whereas 途端 simply marks immediate succession.

Don't confuse with

発ほっ端たんN1
発端 shares the kanji 端 with 途端 but means 'the beginning or origin' of something, not 'the very moment after'.

Word family

途と端たんにN3
just as; right after; as soon as; at that moment

Written forms

途と端たんUsage33%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
とたんUsage66%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially in casual contexts.
トタンUsage1%

Etymology

Compound of 途 (to, 'way' or 'path') and 端 (tan, 'edge' or 'end'), literally 'the edge of the path', figuratively 'the very moment'.