Illustration: At a family breakfast table, a toddler’s elbow has just knocked a small bowl over the edge. An adult beside the table catches it a hand’s breadth above the floor, fingers closing around its rim while the other hand still holds a half-peeled mandarin.

JLPT N1nounLevel estimated by Bebop

とっさ

tossa

instant, split second

Usually describes an immediate reaction or decision. Note written by AI.

Example sentences

  1. 社長しゃちょうのとっさのひらめきなんだって。

    It came to the president like a bolt of lightning.

    Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · Source

  2. 急きゅうに聞きかれて、とっさには答こたえられなかった。

    I couldn’t answer on the spot when asked suddenly.

    Written by AI for Bebop

  3. 子こどもが転ころびそうになり、とっさに手てを伸のばした。

    The child was about to fall, so I instinctively reached out.

    Written by AI for Bebop

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