Japanese Conversation · Level 109
60 words
Japanese word
途端
Pronunciation
Romajitotan
Meaning
- nounas soon as
Example
ドアを開けた途端、犬が走り始めました。do a o a ke ta to tan inu ga hashi ri haji me ma shi ta
As soon as I opened the door, the dog started running.
More examples
彼女はその知らせを聞いた途端、笑顔になりました。kano jo wa so no shi ra se o ki i ta to tan e gao ni na ri ma shi ta
As soon as she heard the news, she smiled.
Core concept
It marks the exact point when one event is immediately followed by another, often with a sense of suddenness.
Common phrases
見た途端にmi ta to tan ni
as soon as ___ saw it
始まった途端にhaji ma tta to tan ni
as soon as ___ began
Similar words
瞬間shunkan: A very brief point in time when an event occurs.
直後chokugo: The time immediately following an event.
Definition in Japanese
ある動作や変化が起こった直後の、その瞬間。a ru dō sa ya hen ka ga o ko tta choku go no so no shun kan
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese compound 途端 (totan) combines 途 (to, "way") and 端 (tan, "edge or end"), suggesting the boundary point of a course of action.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation, 途端 (totan) commonly appears as た途端に (ta totan ni), which follows a completed action and often introduces a sudden result.