English–Japanese

“surprise” in Japanese

Japanese

Also驚かす (odorokasu) · サプライズ (sapuraizu)

Romajiodoroki

それは大きな驚きでした。so re wa ō ki na odoro ki de shi ta

It was a big surprise.

“Surprise” in Japanese is 驚き (odoroki).

Expresses the sudden feeling that arises when reality differs sharply from what was expected.

友人の突然の訪問に、私は驚きを隠せませんでした。yū jin no totsu zen no hō mon ni watashi wa odoro ki o kaku se ma se n de shi ta

I could not hide my surprise at my friend's sudden visit.

In Japanese, 驚き (odoroki) can describe both a pleasant surprise and an unpleasant shock, so the surrounding context shows the feeling involved.

odorokasu

verbsurprise

その知らせはみんなを驚かします。so no shi ra se wa mi n na o odoro ka shi ma su

The news surprises everyone.

sapuraizu

nounsurprise

母にサプライズでプレゼントを渡しました。haha ni sa pu ra i zu de pu re ze n to o wata shi ma shi ta

I gave my mother a present as a surprise.