か〜ないかの内(うち)にRight after, As soon as, Just when, Barely

Structure

Verb［る］+ か + Verb ない^(*) + かのうちに

^(*) The same Verb has to be repeated

Details

About か〜ないかのうちに

か～ないかのうちに is a slightly formal grammar structure used in Japanese to indicate a precise point in time where the action of (A) can not be determined as either being started, or finished. Usually, it highlights the exact moment either before or after (A) commences. This grammar structure is comprised of か, ない, か, の, the noun 内(うち) 'within', and に. Literally, it just means 'while not knowing whether (A) or not (A), (B)'.

The verb that appears before か and ないか must be repeated in this grammar pattern, and may be used in its dictionary form. Standard translations include 'right after (A)', 'as soon as (A)', and 'barely when (A)'.

Additionally, か～ないかのうちに may be used to highlight relatively short periods of time within which something happens. This is usually in regard to some sort of positive or negative occurrence that would not usually be expected to be able to happen so quickly.

Examples

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焦(こ)がすか焦(こ)がさないかの内(うち)に、肉(にく)を取(と)るのが僕(ぼく)の流儀(りゅうぎ)。

My style is to take off the meat just when it starts to burn.

御馳走(ごちそう)をいただくかいただかないかの内(うち)に、帰(かえ)る時間(じかん)になってしまった。

Just when I was going to be treated, I had to go home (had to pay my own way).

削除(さくじょ)されるかされないかの内(うち)に、自(みずか)ら手(て)を引(ひ)いた方(ほう)がいい。

Just when you are about to be eliminated, it is better to withdraw oneself.

清書(せいしょ)するかしないかの内(うち)に、下書(したが)きを紛失(ふんしつ)してしまいました。

Just as I was about to write a clean copy, I lost my rough draft.

言葉(ことば)が終(お)わるか終(お)わらないかの内(うち)に、彼女(かのじょ)は意識(いしき)を失(うしな)った。

As soon as she finished her remark, she had lost consciousness.

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  日本語教師のN1et
- 次第 vs. かのうちに
  Nihongoの森

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か〜ないかのうちに – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

Pushindawood
right after
as soon as
just when
Structure
- Verb1[る・た] + か + Verb1[ない]+ かのうちに
View on Bunpro
s1212z
削除されるかされない かのうちに 、自ら手を引た方がいい。

Do you think 身を引た方がいい sounds more natural here? I thought the former was more of an escape from meaning while the later is a retire from meaning. Of course the context is unknown here.
Fuga
Hey @s1212z !

Since this sentence does not have any context, 手を引た方がいい is perfectly fine!
MZa
Hi.
In the following example sentence 彼女かのじょは車くるまが止とまるか止とまらないかのうちに、ドアを開あけて駅えきへと走はしっていった。I don’t understand why there is a とin 駅へと.
nekoyama
へと is similar to へ by itself, but emphasises a bit more that it’s about a direction.
MZa
Ok thank you. I may have never encountered this particles’ combination or it’s the first time I noticed it.
stephane
regarding this example sentence in the lesson :
就活を初めて１週間経つか経たないかのうちに、仕事が見つかった。
In just a week of looking for a new job, I found a job.

confused by this, shouldn’t it be 経つか経たなかったかのうちに？
is this a mistake or does this grammar form require ない absolutely and skip the verb inflection ?