1.
to suddenly remember; to recall out of the blue
To have a memory come to mind unexpectedly, without deliberately trying to recall it.
ふと昔のことを思い出した。
I suddenly remembered something from the past.
歩いていたら、ふと友人の言葉を思い出した。
While walking, I suddenly recalled my friend's words.
この匂いを嗅ぐと、ふと子供の頃を思い出す。
When I smell this scent, it suddenly brings back memories of my childhood.
Combines the adverb ふと (suddenly, unexpectedly) with 思い出す (to remember). The key nuance is that the memory surfaces involuntarily — triggered by a sensation, a scene, or seemingly nothing at all. Very common in everyday conversation and narrative writing.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ふと昔を思い出す: to suddenly recall the past
- ふと母のことを思い出す: to suddenly think of one's mother
- ふと思い出したように: as if suddenly remembering
USAGE:
ふと can also combine with other verbs to express sudden, unplanned actions:
- ふと気がつく: to suddenly notice
- ふと見る: to glance inadvertently
- ふと目が覚める: to wake up suddenly