1.
in the blink of an eye; in no time; before you know it
Describes something happening so quickly that it feels almost instantaneous. Expresses surprise at how fast time passed or how quickly an event occurred.
休みがあっという間に終わった。
The vacation was over in the blink of an eye.
子供はあっという間に大きくなる。
Children grow up before you know it.
楽しい時間はあっという間に過ぎてしまうので、一瞬一瞬を大切にしたい。
Fun times pass by in no time, so I want to treasure every moment.
Literally "in the time it takes to say 'ah!'" — describing something so fast you can barely exclaim before it's over. This is one of the most commonly used expressions for describing the rapid passage of time in everyday Japanese.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- あっという間に過ぎる: to pass in no time
- あっという間に終わる: to be over in a flash
- あっという間に広がる: to spread in no time
- あっという間の出来事: something that happened in an instant
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 一瞬で: in an instant — more neutral and precise; describes objective quickness
- たちまち: in no time — slightly literary; emphasizes rapid transformation
- 瞬く間に: in the twinkling of an eye — more literary equivalent
USAGE:
Often used with 過ぎる or 終わる to express how quickly a pleasant experience ended. Can also describe unpleasant speed, such as news spreading or money running out.