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Grammar detail: 〜か〜ないかのうちに

〜か〜ないかのうちに  as soon as; almost at the same time as
73 words
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For more on this topic, see the 床 essay in the Joy o' Kanji essay collection.
verb plain form
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verb negative plain form
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かのうちに
means
as soon as; almost at the same time as
This form is a combination of the うちに and ないうちに forms, and creates a sense of something happening 'immediately after' or 'right at the same time as' something else.
かれ
しゅっぱつ
出発
する
しないうちに
あめ
した

They had hardly started when it began to rain.
いえ
ない
うちに
あめ
した

I had hardly left home when it began raining.
わたし
とこ
はい
はい
らない
うち
でんわ
電話
りだした

I had hardly gotten into bed when the phone began to ring.
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Kanji used in this grammar

ヒ   かれ he   
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シュツ   スイ   だ to take out, to put out   で to go out, to exit   
ハツ   ホツ    emission, discharge   
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ウ   あめ    あま- rain   
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コウ   おりる to get off   おろす to drop off   ふ to fall (eg rain)   
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カ   ケ   house   いえ    や    
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シ   わたくし    わたし I, myself   
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ショウ   ゆか floor   とこ bed   
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ニュウ   い to enter   はい to enter   いれる to put in   
デン    electricity   
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ワ   はな to talk   はなし talking   
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メイ   な to chirp, to twitter   な to sound, to ring   ならす to make ring   
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