Grammar Info
N1 Lesson 8: 1/19

や否(いな)や
as soon as, no sooner than, the minute

Structure
Verb[る]+ や否や(1) + Phrase[た]

(1)
Details
Register Formal
使用域 硬い
Information
  • Aや否やB is a formal expressions not used in casual situations meaning that as soon as A happened, B. Or in other words, B happens shortly after A. B is often surprising or spontaneous. Can be used when talking about the speaker/writer himself.
  • This construction is generally used in sentences that are set in the past, though sometimes the sentence might describe habitual action. Therefore requests and expressions of volition are not used in B.
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《記事(きじ)》警察官(けいさつかん)に気(き)が付(つ)くや否(いな)や急(きゅう)に走(はし)り出(だ)した。
Article: As soon as he noticed the policeman, he suddenly started to run.
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《小説(しょうせつ)》彼(かれ)があくびをするや否(いな)や彼女(かのじょ)もあくびが出(で)てしまった。
Novel: As soon as he has yawned, the girl also yawned.
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《小説(しょうせつ)》焼(や)き立(た)てのパンが皿(さら)に出(で)てくるや否(いな)やすぐに彼(かれ)口(くち)中(なか)に消(き)えた。
Novel: As soon as the freshly baked bread appeared on the plate, it immediately disappeared in his mouth.
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Books
Try N1
Page 140
Shin Kanzen Master N1 Bunpou
Page 8
Sou Matome Bunpou N1
Page 54
A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar
Page 706