驚おどろき

お

ど

ろ

き

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

noun

surprise; astonishment; wonder; amazement

A sudden feeling caused by something unexpected or remarkable. Can be used for both positive and negative surprises.

彼かれの突とつ然ぜんの告こく白はくに、私わたしは驚おどろきを隠かくせなかった。
I couldn't hide my surprise at his sudden confession.

そのニュースは世せ界かい中じゅうに大おおきな驚おどろきをもたらした。

The news caused great astonishment around the world.

Written forms

驚おどろきUsage92%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency word in news and everyday contexts.
おどろきUsage6%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing, manga, and when emphasizing the emotional impact.
オドロキUsage1%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling used for stylistic emphasis, often in advertising or informal digital text.

Kanji

驚wonder, be surprised, frightened

Similar words

びっくり
More colloquial and onomatopoeic than 驚き; often used as a verb with する to mean 'to be surprised'.
驚おどろく
The verb form meaning 'to be surprised'; 驚き is the noun derived from it.

Etymology

Noun form of the verb 驚く (おどろく), which is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 驚 combines 馬 (horse) and 敬 (respect/awe), suggesting the startled reaction of a horse.