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GRAMMAR
〜と思いきや
thought ~ but
Explanation
NOTE

〜と思いきや means I thought... but — you expected one thing, yet the reality turned out different.

雨あめが降ふると思おもいきや、晴はれた。
I thought it would rain, but it cleared up.
NOTE

It is formal and literary, and always carries a tone of surprise at the unexpected outcome.

簡単かんたんだと思おもいきや、とても難むずかしかった。
I thought it was easy, but it was very hard.
The second clause states the surprising reality that contradicts the speaker's expectation.
NOTE

Attach と思いきや to a verb in plain form. The expected event comes before, the surprise after.

STRUCTURE
V普
と思いきや
彼かれは怒おこると思おもいきや、笑わらっていた。
Kare wa okoru to omoikiya, waratte ita.
I thought he would get angry, but he was laughing.
試験しけんに落おちたと思おもいきや、合格ごうかくしていた。
Shiken ni ochita to omoikiya, goukaku shite ita.
I thought I had failed the exam, but I had passed.
店みせは閉しまっていると思おもいきや、まだ開あいていた。
Mise wa shimatte iru to omoikiya, mada aite ita.
I thought the shop was closed, but it was still open.
昨日きのうは雨あめが降ふると思おもいきや、とてもいい天気てんきになりました。
Kinou wa ame ga furu toomoikiya, totemo ii tenki ni narimashita.
I thought it would rain yesterday, but it turned out to be beautiful weather.
簡単かんたんな試験しけんだと思おもいきや、とても難むずかしかったです。
Kantan na shiken da toomoikiya, totemo muzukashikatta desu.
I thought it would be an easy exam, but it was very difficult.
彼かれは帰かえったと思おもいきや、まだ部屋へやにいました。
Kare wa kaetta toomoikiya, mada heya ni imashita.
I thought he had gone home, but he was still in the room.

Practice exercises

1
雪ゆきが降ふると思おもいきや、暖あたたかい日ひだった。
I thought it would snow, but it was a warm day.
Answer
と思おもいきや
2
彼女かのじょは泣なくと思おもいきや、笑わらい出だした。
I thought she would cry, but she burst out laughing.
Answer
と思おもいきや
3
仕事しごとが終おわったと思おもいきや、まだ残のこっていた。
I thought the work was done, but some was still left.
Answer
と思おもいきや
4
私わたしは彼かれが来くるものと思おもっていたと思おもいきや、結局けっきょく来こなかった。
I thought he was coming, but in the end, he didn't come.
Answer
と思おもいきや
5
準備じゅんびは完璧かんぺきというところだと思おもいきや、実際じっさいはまだ問題もんだいがあった。
I thought the preparations were perfect but in reality, there were still problems.
Answer
と思おもいきや
6
皆みなは彼かれが失敗しっぱいするのではあるまいかと思おもいきや、見事みごとに成功せいこうした。
Everyone thought he might fail but he succeeded splendidly.
Answer
と思おもいきや
7
無事ぶじ着陸ちゃくりくしたと思おもいきや、エンジンから煙けむりが上あがった。
We thought we had landed safely, but smoke rose from the engine.
Answer
と思おもいきや
8
完全かんぜんに解決かいけつしたと思おもいきや、新あらたな問題もんだいが発生はっせいした。
We thought it was completely resolved, but a new problem arose.
Answer
と思おもいきや