STRUCTURE
V辞書形／V-た＋とみるや（〜と見てとると、すぐに〜した。観察・判断が引き金）
多く戦略的・機敏に
HOW TO USE IT
- It follows the plain form: V-dictionary／V-ta + とみるや. With nouns and na-adjectives, use 〜だとみるや (本気だとみるや).
- Meaning: on seeing or judging that the situation is ~, one acts at once. The trigger is an observation or judgement.
- The second clause is usually a quick, calculated action that already happened (past tense). It is a written style.
- Unlike 〜や否や: や否や only means "as soon as ~" in time, with no judgement of the situation.
WATCH OUT
×相手が弱っているをみるや、一気に攻めた。
○相手が弱っているとみるや、一気に攻めた。
The content of the judgement is marked with と. を cannot follow a clause directly.
×雨がやんだとみるや、出かけましょう。
○雨がやんだとみるや、彼はすぐに出かけた。
とみるや narrates what already happened. The second clause cannot be volitional, an invitation or a request.
Examples
相手がひるんだとみるや、彼はここぞとばかりに攻め立てた。
あいてがひるんだとみるや、かれはここぞとばかりにせめたてた。
The moment he saw his opponent flinch, he pressed the attack for all he was worth.
雨がやみそうにないとみるや、彼女はすぐに予定を変更した。
あめがやみそうにないとみるや、かのじょはすぐによていをへんこうした。
Judging that the rain was not going to stop, she changed her plans at once.
子どもは母親の機嫌が悪いとみるや、静かに自分の部屋へ戻っていった。
こどもはははおやのきげんがわるいとみるや、しずかにじぶんのへやへもどっていった。
Seeing that his mother was in a bad mood, the child quietly went back to his room.
Often confused with
How each pair differs, with the exam trap in context, is in the Toey lesson.
Practise ～とみるや with drills and review
Start free with N5. N1 drills, audio and review are in JLPT Pro.
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