〜と思いきや (~to omoikiya) — I thought ~, but actually

I was sure it would turn out one way — and it went the other! A feeling of surprise.

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

Verb / い-adj V普通形／い-adj + と思いきや

N / な-adj N／な-adj（＋だ） + と思いきや

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

When to use it

Say the typhoon has passed and you head to the station sure the trains will be running — but they are suspended all afternoon!
In Japanese: 「電車は動くと思いきや、午後も運休が続いた」.
It is written and dramatic — blogs, news headlines, essays, and sometimes playful speech.

Meaning

「〜と思いきや」= the surprise 'I thought it would be like this, but it turned out the opposite' — it means 「と思ったが、実際は違った」.
What follows is always a result that has already happened and goes against the expectation — bad or good.

How to attach

Straight to a plain-form clause: 動くと思いきや
Nouns and な-adjectives take 「だ」or not: 合格だと思いきや
Also with an added 「か」: 「〜かと思いきや」

Versus what you know

N3「〜と思ったら」= 'no sooner…than' (やんだと思ったら、また降り出した); you know plain 「〜と思ったのに」too — 「と思いきや」is more written and dramatic.

Watch out

It is not used about your own action that you decide yourself (行くと思いきや、私は行かなかった), because your own decision cannot surprise you.
Your own wish or request cannot follow it either.

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

台風が過ぎたので電車は動くと思いきや、午後も運休が続いた。

たいふうがすぎたのででんしゃはうごくとおもいきや、ごごもうんきゅうがつづいた。

The typhoon had passed, so I thought the trains would run — but services stayed suspended into the afternoon.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 台風が過ぎたので = since the typhoon had passed → 電車は動く = the trains will run (my expectation) → 「と思いきや」 = I thought so, but → 運休 = service suspended → then the opposite result: 午後も運休が続いた.

面接はうまくいったから合格だと思いきや、不採用の通知が届いた。

めんせつはうまくいったからごうかくだとおもいきや、ふさいようのつうちがとどいた。

The interview went well, so I was sure I'd passed — but a rejection notice arrived.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) うまくいった = went well → 合格だ = passed (N + だ) → 「と思いきや」 = I thought it would be so, but → 不採用 = not being hired → 通知が届いた = a notice arrived — the opposite of what I expected.

厳しい部長だから怒られると思いきや、優しく教えてくれた。

きびしいぶちょうだからおこられるとおもいきや、やさしくおしえてくれた。

The manager is strict, so I expected to get scolded — but instead I was kindly shown how.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 厳しい部長だから = because the manager is strict → 怒られる = I'll get scolded (my fear) → 「と思いきや」 = I thought so, but → then a good, surprising result: 優しく教えてくれた.

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

「今日は休みだ＿＿＿、朝から上司に呼び出された。」— fill the blank.

💡 Hint: Which particle marks what you thought?