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Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Suddenly, abruptly, all of a sudden.

🎯 Primary Function

An adverb used to indicate that an action, event, or change of state happened unexpectedly and often quickly.

📋 Grammar Structure

急に + Verb (Plain or ます form)
急に + i-adjective + くなる/になった
急に + な-adjective + になる/になった
急に + Verb (Negative form)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used neutrally, but formal contexts might prefer 突然 (totsuzen).

😊 Informal Situations

Very commonly used. Interchangeable with いきなり (ikinari) in many informal settings.

✍️ Written Language

Common in narrative writing and news to describe abrupt occurrences.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Extremely common for describing unexpected happenings.

💡 Common Applications

Describing sudden actions or events.
Used to emphasize that an event happened without any prior warning or expectation.
Example: 急に地震が起こった。 (Kyū ni jishin ga okotta. – An earthquake suddenly occurred.)
Describing sudden changes in condition or feeling.
Applicable to internal states, emotions, or physical changes.
Example: 急に気分が悪くなった。 (Kyū ni kibun ga waruku natta. – I suddenly felt sick.)
Modifying a necessary action (often in the adjectival form ‘急な’).
When used adjectivally (急な), it means “urgent” or “sudden.” When used as an adverb (急に), it means “suddenly.”
Example: 急な仕事が入った。 (Kyū na shigoto ga haitta. – Sudden/urgent work came up.)
📊
Frequency
Very High (Common in daily conversation)
🎚️
Difficulty
N4 – Intermediate/Basic Intermediate
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N4 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
電車が急に止まった。
Furigana: でんしゃが きゅうに とまった。
Romaji: Densha ga kyū ni tomari mashita.
English: The train suddenly stopped.
Example #2
急に雨が降り始めました。
Furigana: きゅうに あめが ふりはじめました。
Romaji: Kyū ni ame ga furi hajimemashita.
English: It suddenly started raining.
Example #3
彼が急に怒り出した。
Furigana: かれが きゅうに おこりだした。
Romaji: Kare ga kyū ni okoridashita.
English: He suddenly got angry and started shouting.
Example #4
話題が急に変わった。
Furigana: わだいが きゅうに かわった。
Romaji: Wadai ga kyū ni kawatta.
English: The subject of the conversation suddenly changed.
Example #5
急な用事で帰らなければならなくなった。
Furigana: きゅうな ようじで かえらなければならなくなった。
Romaji: Kyū na yōji de kaeranakereba naranaku natta.
English: I had to leave suddenly because of urgent business.
Example #6
どうして急に黙ったの？
Furigana: どうして きゅうに だまったの？
Romaji: Dōshite kyū ni damatta no?
English: Why did you suddenly go silent?
Example #7
今朝は急に気温が下がった。
Furigana: けさは きゅうに きおんが さがった。
Romaji: Kesa wa kyū ni kion ga sagatta.
English: The temperature dropped suddenly this morning.
Example #8
後ろから急に誰かが私の名前を呼んだ。
Furigana: うしろから きゅうに だれかが わたしの なまえを よんだ。
Romaji: Ushiro kara kyū ni dareka ga watashi no namae o yonda.
English: Someone suddenly called my name from behind.
Example #9
子供が急に道に飛び出した。
Furigana: こどもが きゅうに みちに とびだした。
Romaji: Kodomo ga kyū ni michi ni tobīdashita.
English: The child suddenly ran out into the road.
Example #10
急にその約束を思い出した。
Furigana: きゅうに その やくそくを おもいだした。
Romaji: Kyū ni sono yakusoku o omoidashita.
English: I suddenly remembered that appointment.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Focus on ‘Suddenness,’ not ‘Urgency’ (unless used as 急な).
While the root 急 means “urgent” or “steep,” 急に in this adverbial form always conveys the meaning of suddenness or unexpectedness.
Example: 急に寒くなった。(Kyū ni samuku natta. – It suddenly became cold.)
Can describe the manner of an action.
It can also convey the meaning of ‘abruptly’ or ‘roughly,’ describing the manner of the action.
Example: 急に立ち上がってはいけません。 (Kyū ni tachiagatte wa ikemasen. – You must not stand up suddenly.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 急に行こう。 (Kyū ni ikō.)
✅ 早く行こう。 (Hayaku ikō. – Let’s go quickly.)
“早く (hayaku)” means quickly or early, focusing on speed or timing. “急に (kyū ni)” means suddenly, focusing on the unexpectedness. They are not interchangeable.
❌ 彼は急な怒りだした。 (Kare wa kyū na okoridashita.)
✅ 彼は急に怒りだした。 (Kare wa kyū ni okoridashita. – He suddenly got angry.)
“急に” modifies the verb “怒りだした” (started getting angry). Placing “な” after “急” only works when modifying a noun (e.g., 急な出来事 – a sudden incident).

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. The surrounding verb conjugation determines the overall politeness.
Social Situations: Used in all social situations where unexpected events are being described.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

急に (kyū ni) vs. 突然 (totsuzen)
突然 emphasizes unexpectedness and is slightly more formal or literary. 急に is more general and common in speech.
When to use: Use 突然 in writing or formal presentations. Use 急に in daily conversation.
急に (kyū ni) vs. いきなり (ikinari)
いきなり is informal and often carries a nuance of abruptness, roughness, or lack of preparation. 急に is more neutral.
When to use: Use いきなり among close friends or when the suddenness is perceived as rude or harsh. Use 急に in most neutral conversational contexts.

📝 Conjugation Notes

急に is an adverb derived from the な-adjective 急 (kyū). It functions by attaching に to the stem. The adjectival form, 急な (kyū na), is used when modifying nouns (e.g., 急な知らせ – a sudden notice).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounce ‘kyū’ as a single syllable with a long ‘u’ sound, not ‘ki-yu.’ The pitch accent typically falls flat.

🧠 Memory Tips

Relate the kanji 急 (kyū) to words like 救急車 (kyūkyūsha – ambulance, urgent vehicle) or 急行 (kyūkō – express train, fast/urgent travel) to remember its core meaning of speed or urgency. ‘急に’ is the ‘suddenly’ version.

Other Grammar

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