と思いきや
Meanings
- I thought... but
- Just when I thought..., it turned out that...
- Contrary to my expectation... it was actually...
- I expected one outcome, but the reality was different.
About this pattern
Explanation
と思いきや is used to express that something happened in a way that was contrary to the speaker's expectation. The first clause states the assumption or expectation, and the second clause reveals the surprising or opposite outcome. It often has a sense of mild astonishment or irony and is commonly used in storytelling or when giving a contrastive remark about events that did not go as predicted. It can be used in past contexts to describe a situation that unfolded differently from what was anticipated.
Learn in context
Example sentences
I thought the rain would stop, but it began to pour even harder.
I thought he would arrive early, but he ended up arriving later than planned.
I thought it was cheap, but it turned out to be very expensive.
I thought she was quiet, but she was very lively at the party.
Keep studying
More N1 patterns
from ... to ...; from start to finish; up to and including
View detailsNo matter how ~, it won't change the outcome; Even if ~, the result is still unlikely; Even though ~, it doesn't matter; it's futile to ~
View detailslike; similar to; as if; the same as
View detailsto be worthy of; to be enough for; to be sufficient
View detailsextreme; extremely; unbearably; to an extreme degree
View detailsEven though; Even if; Although; Despite
View details