たちまち

たちまち
adverb
instantly; in no time; at once
literarywrittendescriptive
1. instantly; in no time; at once
Describes something happening very quickly or immediately, often with a sense of surprising speed.
たちまち人気(にんき)が出(で)た。
It became popular in no time.
空(そら)がたちまち暗(くら)くなった。
The sky suddenly turned dark.
噂(うわさ)はたちまち町中(まちじゅう)に広(ひろ)まった。
The rumor spread throughout the town in no time.
新(あたら)しい店(みせ)は開店(かいてん)するとたちまち行列(ぎょうれつ)ができた。
As soon as the new store opened, a line instantly formed.
雨(あめ)が降(ふ)り出(だ)すと、公園(こうえん)にいた人(ひと)たちはたちまちいなくなった。
When it started to rain, the people in the park disappeared in no time.

Writing

Can be written as 忽(たちま)ち, though hiragana is more common.

Usage

たちまち emphasizes the surprising speed at which something happens. It often describes changes, spread of information, or completion of actions that occur faster than expected.

Common patterns

  • たちまち〜になる (to instantly become ~)
  • たちまち広(ひろ)まる (to spread in no time)
  • たちまちのうちに (in the blink of an eye)

Register

Neutral to slightly literary. Used in both spoken and written Japanese.

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: すぐに (immediately)
Compare: あっという間(ま)に (in the blink of an eye)
Compare: 瞬(またた)く間(ま)に (in an instant)
Compare: 即座(そくざ)に (immediately)
Compare: みるみる (rapidly)
core
Added 2026.1.19 15:01 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
07000/07371_tachimachi