急(きゅう)に

きゅうに
adverb
suddenly; abruptly; rapidly
descriptive
1. suddenly; abruptly
Happening without warning or preparation.
It suddenly started raining.
The plans suddenly changed.
It's dangerous if you run suddenly.
車(くるま)が急(きゅう)に止(と)まった。
The car stopped suddenly.
I suddenly got a fever and stayed home from school.
2. rapidly; quickly
At a fast pace, with urgency.
急(きゅう)に行(い)こう!
Let's go quickly!
I finished the work quickly.
We need to prepare quickly.
Since there was no time, I ate quickly.
Since I was about to miss the train, I left home quickly.

急(きゅう)に is an adverb formed from the na-adjective 急(きゅう) (sudden, urgent).

Common patterns

Similar words

  • 急(きゅう)に vs. 突然(とつぜん): Both mean "suddenly," but 突然(とつぜん) emphasizes unexpectedness more strongly, while 急(きゅう)に can also mean "quickly/hurriedly."
  • 急(きゅう)に vs. いきなり: いきなり implies doing something without warning or preamble, often with a nuance of rudeness.

Note: 急(きゅう)に can describe both unexpected events and urgent/hurried actions.