早々(そうそう)

そうそう
adverb, suffix
promptly, right after; as soon as
time-general
1. promptly, without delay
Doing something quickly or immediately, without wasting time.
早々(そうそう)に切(き)り上(あ)げた。
I wrapped things up promptly.
会議(かいぎ)が終(お)わると、早々(そうそう)に帰(かえ)ってしまった。
As soon as the meeting ended, he went straight home.
忙(いそが)しかったので、挨拶(あいさつ)早々(そうそう)に失礼(しつれい)した。
I was busy, so I excused myself right after the greetings.
2. right after, as soon as
Used as a suffix after nouns indicating a time or event to mean 'right after' or 'as soon as.' Read as そうそう in this usage.
入社(にゅうしゃ)早々(そうそう)、大(おお)きなプロジェクトを任(まか)された。
Right after joining the company, I was entrusted with a big project.
新年(しんねん)早々(そうそう)、うれしいニュースが届(とど)いた。
Right at the start of the new year, good news arrived.
開店(かいてん)早々(そうそう)にお客(きゃく)さんが行列(ぎょうれつ)を作(つく)っていた。
Right after opening, customers were already lining up.

Usage

Two main patterns

1. 早々(そうそう)に + verb: promptly, without delay (adverbial)
2. Noun + 早々(そうそう): right after [noun], as soon as [noun] (suffix)

The suffix pattern attaches to nouns representing events or time points: 入社(にゅうしゃ)早々(そうそう) (right after joining), 新年(しんねん)早々(そうそう) (right at the new year), 到着(とうちゃく)早々(そうそう) (right after arriving).

Note: This is different from the colloquial filler word そうそう (meaning 'oh right, that reminds me').

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.23 8:39 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
12500/12959_sousou