Japanese word

思いがけない

Pronunciation

Romajiomoigakenai

Meaning

  • i-adjectiveunexpected

Example

思いがけない贈り物をもらいました。omo i ga ke na i oku ri mono o mo ra i ma shi ta

I received an unexpected gift.

Illustration for 思いがけない (unexpected)

More examples

試験の後に思いがけない知らせが届きました。shi ken no ato ni omo i ga ke na i shi ra se ga todo ki ma shi ta

Unexpected news arrived after the exam.

Core concept

Presents an event or thing that does not match prior expectations and therefore feels surprising.

Common phrases

  • 思いがけない結果omo i ga ke na i kek ka

    an unexpected result

  • 思いがけない質問omo i ga ke na i shitsu mon

    an unexpected question

  • 思いがけない変化omo i ga ke na i hen ka

    an unexpected change

Similar words

思いもよらないomoimoyoranai: Describes something that was not imagined or considered possible before it happened.
予期しないyokishinai: Describes something that was not anticipated beforehand, often in a neutral or formal statement.

Definition in Japanese

事前には予想しておらず、意外に感じるさま。ji zen ni wa yo sō shi te o ra zu i gai ni kan ji ru sa ma

Word origin

思いがけない (omoigakenai) comes from 思いがける (omoigakeru, "to anticipate"), followed by ない (nai, "not"), so it describes what was not anticipated.

Usage tips

  • Unlike 突然 (totsuzen, "suddenly"), 思いがけない (omoigakenai) focuses on the lack of prior expectation, not simply on how quickly something happens.

Other meanings

  • surprisingi-adjective

Related words

  • 思いがけなさomoigakenasaunexpectednessnoun

Word lists with this word