<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='1010'>運転（うんてん）</span>中（ちゅう）、<strong>つい</strong>よそ見（み）をしてしまう。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='153'>ダイエット</span>中（ちゅう）なのに、<strong>つい</strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='7'>アイスクリーム</span>を食（た）べてしまう。

笑（わら）ってはいけないのに、<strong>つい</strong>笑（わら）ってしまうことになる。

「<strong>つい</strong>食（た）べ過（す）ぎてしまう」なんて言（い）い訳（わけ）だ。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='315'>仕事（しごと）</span>中（ちゅう）<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='166'>でも</span><strong>つい</strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='136'>スマホ</span>をいじってしまう。

そんなにおもしろくない番組（ばんぐみ）<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='166'>でも</span><strong>つい</strong>見（み）てしまいます。

失敗（しっぱい）した<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='652'>時（とき）</span>、<strong>つい</strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='300'>人（ひと）</span>のせいにしたく<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='594'>なる</span>。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='1009'>運動（うんどう）</span>を<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='497'>始（はじ）め<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る</span></span>と、<strong>つい</strong>やり過（す）ぎてしまう。

<strong>つい</strong>楽（らく）な方（ほう）に流（なが）されてしまう。

<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='980'>赤（あか）ちゃん</span>を<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='12' data-vocab-id='948'>見（み）る</span>と<strong>つい</strong>頬（ほお）が緩（ゆる）んでしまう。

思（おも）い通（どお）りにいかないと<strong>つい</strong>イライラしてしまう。

100<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='371'>円（えん）</span>ショップに<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='26' data-vocab-id='935'>行（い）く</span>と<strong>つい</strong>買（か）い過（す）ぎてしまいます。

<div class='writeup-body'>Appearing most frequently at the beginning of sentences, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span> is an <span class='info-highlight' data-term='副詞・ふくし'>adverb</span> that may be translated as 'accidentally', 'unconsciously', 'absentmindedly', or 'against one's better judgment'. <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span> will often be paired with statements that use <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='172'>てしまう</span>, to emphasize that something was unintentional.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>ごめんタケシ君（くん）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='6'>の</span>クッキー<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>目（め）の<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='53'>前（まえ）に</span>あったから<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span>食（た）べ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='172'>てしま</span>った。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>Sorry Takeshi-kun, your cookie was right in front of me, so I absentmindedly ate it.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>先生（せんせい）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='32'>に</span>怒（おこ）られる<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='143'>と</span>、<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span>笑（わら）っ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='172'>ちゃう</span>ん<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='1'>だ</span>よ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='71'>ね。</span></div><div class='writeup-example--english'>When I am being scolded by the teacher, I accidentally laugh.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>運転中（うんてんちゅう）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='32'>に</span>携帯（けいたい）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='21'>を</span>使（つか）っ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='102'>たら</span>だめ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='17'>なの</span>は分（わ）かっている<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='17'>んだ</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='361'>けど</span>、メールが<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='39'>来（く）る</span>と<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span>携帯（けいたい）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='21'>を</span>見（み）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='172'>ちゃう</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I know that I shouldn't use my phone while driving, but when I get a text I unconsciously look at my phone.</div></li></ul><div class='writeup-funfact'><div class='funfact-header'>Fun Fact</div>Although 'accidentally' is the most common meaning of <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span>, it actually may be used to convey three different nuances. These are as follows:<br>はからず - Something that is uncalculated.<br>思（おも）わず - Something that is not thought about.<br>距離（きょり）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>わずかなさま - A small gap/interval.<br>In each of these meanings, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span> keeps a sense of time being the most important factor. Due to this, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span> will give the impression that whatever resulted in the 'accidental' action, will be something that happened momentarily. This is very close to the meaning of 'lapse' in English. 'a lapse in time', 'a lapse in judgment', 'a lapse in forethought'.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'> 早（はや）く起（お）きて準備（じゅんび）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='21'>を</span>し<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='174'>ても</span>、<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span>遅（おく）れ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='172'>てしまう</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>Even if I wake up early to get ready, I'll be late due to a lapse of time.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>電車（でんしゃ）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>遅（おく）れる<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='143'>と</span>、<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span>イライラし<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='172'>てしまう</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>When the train is late, I'll get angry due to a lapse in judgment.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>お腹（なか）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>空（す）いてい<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='456'>なくても</span>、目（め）の<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='53'>前（まえ）に</span>食（た）べ物（もの）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='13'>がある</span>と<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='488'>つい</span>食（た）べ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='172'>てしまう</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>Even if I am not hungry, if there is food in front of me, I will eat it due to a lapse of forethought.</div></li></ul></div></div>

Grammar Info

つい

accidentally, unconsciously, against one's better judgement