〜そばから
N1soba 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。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。
- 新しい単語は、覚えたそばから忘れてしまう。New words slip away as soon as I learn them.新单词刚记住就忘了。
- 母がクッキーを焼くそばから、弟がつまみ食いしてしまう。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
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"
}
}