にわかに
にわかに
adverb
suddenly; abruptly; all at once
1.
suddenly; abruptly; all at once
Describes something happening unexpectedly and quickly, without warning or gradual buildup. Often used for weather changes, emotional shifts, or sudden developments.
空がにわかに暗くなった。
The sky suddenly darkened.
にわかに雨が降り出した。
It suddenly started raining.
経済情勢がにわかに悪化して、多くの企業が影響を受けた。
The economic situation deteriorated suddenly, and many companies were affected.
2.
readily; easily (with negative)
When used with a negative predicate, means 'not easily' or 'not readily.' Indicates that something is difficult to accept, believe, or accomplish.
にわかには信じがたい。
It's hard to believe.
そんな話はにわかには受け入れられない。
I can't readily accept such a story.
長年の習慣はにわかには変えられないものだ。
Long-standing habits cannot easily be changed.
Can also be written in kanji as 俄に, though the kana form is more common in modern writing. The related noun にわか (sudden) appears in compounds like にわか雨 (sudden shower). The word has a somewhat literary or formal tone compared to 急に.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- にわかに信じがたい: hard to believe
- にわか雨: sudden rain shower
- にわかに変わる: to change suddenly
- にわかに活気づく: to suddenly become lively
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 急に: suddenly — most common everyday word for 'suddenly'; less literary
- 突然: suddenly, unexpectedly — emphasizes the unexpected nature; dramatic
- いきなり: abruptly, without warning — colloquial; emphasizes doing something without preamble