JAPANESE STUDY SYSTEMKOTOWA 词和
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SILVER ERA · ことばを、少しずつ。
JLPT BANDN5 BEGINNER → N1 ADVANCED

〜そばから

N1
soba kara

as soon as (and again and again)

Formation

Verb-dict / Verb-ta + そばから

Chinese meanings

刚……就又……

Chinese formation

动词辞书形/た形+そばから

Chinese usage

表示某事一发生,另一事反复随即发生,常抵消前项。

Chinese notes

多用于反复发生的情况。

Examples

  • 片かた付づけるそばから、子こどもたちがおもちゃを散ちらかしていく。
    As soon as I tidy up, the kids scatter their toys around again.
    刚收拾好,孩子们就又把玩具弄乱了。
  • 新あたらしい単たん語ごは、覚おぼえたそばから忘わすれてしまう。
    New words slip away as soon as I learn them.
    新单词刚记住就忘了。
  • 母ははがクッキーを焼やくそばから、弟おとうとがつまみ食ぐいしてしまう。
    No sooner does my mother bake cookies than my little brother snacks on them.
    妈妈刚烤好饼干,弟弟就偷吃。

Notes

A repeated pattern where the second action undoes the first, often with frustration. Unlike 〜や否や or 〜なり, it is not used for a single one-off event.

#time#tendency

Related N1 grammar

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('soba-kara');
{
  "id": "soba-kara",
  "pattern": "〜そばから",
  "romaji": "soba kara",
  "level": "N1",
  "meaning": "as soon as (and again and again)",
  "formation": "Verb-dict / Verb-ta + そばから",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "片付けるそばから、子どもたちがおもちゃを散らかしていく。",
      "furigana": "{片付|かたづ}けるそばから、{子|こ}どもたちがおもちゃを{散|ち}らかしていく。",
      "en": "As soon as I tidy up, the kids scatter their toys around again."
    },
    {
      "ja": "新しい単語は、覚えたそばから忘れてしまう。",
      "furigana": "{新|あたら}しい{単語|たんご}は、{覚|おぼ}えたそばから{忘|わす}れてしまう。",
      "en": "New words slip away as soon as I learn them."
    },
    {
      "ja": "母がクッキーを焼くそばから、弟がつまみ食いしてしまう。",
      "furigana": "{母|はは}がクッキーを{焼|や}くそばから、{弟|おとうと}がつまみ{食|ぐ}いしてしまう。",
      "en": "No sooner does my mother bake cookies than my little brother snacks on them."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "time",
    "tendency"
  ],
  "notes": "A repeated pattern where the second action undoes the first, often with frustration. Unlike 〜や否や or 〜なり, it is not used for a single one-off event.",
  "zh": {
    "source_hash": "39069d412506d1b3a67c3b4e04ba9ba8ca0b9b573f4853efc7165b05efb7ec59",
    "meanings": [
      "刚……就又……"
    ],
    "formation": "动词辞书形/た形+そばから",
    "explanation": "表示某事一发生,另一事反复随即发生,常抵消前项。",
    "notes": "多用于反复发生的情况。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "片付けるそばから、子どもたちがおもちゃを散らかしていく。",
        "zh": "刚收拾好,孩子们就又把玩具弄乱了。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "新しい単語は、覚えたそばから忘れてしまう。",
        "zh": "新单词刚记住就忘了。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "母がクッキーを焼くそばから、弟がつまみ食いしてしまう。",
        "zh": "妈妈刚烤好饼干,弟弟就偷吃。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n1.json#soba-kara",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "review_hash": "a3d71d16958d7555f00bb132119ad3910560cc6343fd0201934b5ca3e50e659c",
    "status": "reviewed",
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28"
  }
}