や否や

Reading

Kana: やいなや

Romaji: yainaya

Definitions

exp

1

the minute (that) ...; no sooner than ...

2

whether or not

Kanji

否

Readings: ヒ、 いな、 いや

Meanings: negate, no, noes, refuse, decline, deny

Example Sentences

私(わたし)は家(いえ)に着(つ)くやいなや寝(ね)た。

➥The moment I arrived home, I went to bed.

外(そと)に出(で)るや否(いな)や雨(う)が降(ふ)ってきた。

➥No sooner had I gone out than it began to rain.

彼(かれ)はそれを見(み)るや否(いな)や青(あお)くなった。

➥No sooner had he seen it than he turned pale.

彼(かれ)は私(わたし)を見(み)るやいなや逃(に)げた。

➥The moment he saw me he ran away.

私(わたし)が駅(えき)に着(つ)くやいなや汽車(きしゃ)は出(で)た。

➥I had no sooner reached the station than the train started.

彼(かれ)は私(わたし)を見(み)るやいなや逃(に)げ去(さ)った。

➥No sooner had he seen me than he ran away.