直ちに
At once, Immediately, As soon as
Structure
Explanation
In Japanese, the adverb 直ちに is used to express that an action should be taken 'right away' or 'promptly'. It is frequently positioned at the beginning of a clause or sentence, a common placement for adverbs.
- 直ちに病院へ行ってください。Please go to the hospital right away.
- この場所から、 直ちに立ち去ってください。ここは危険です。Please leave this area at once. It's dangerous here.
- 火災報知器が鳴ったら、 直ちに建物から出てください。If the fire alarm goes off, evacuate the building immediately.
Fun Fact
Derived from the kanji 直 ('direct'), 直ちに carries a nuance of a purposeful, 'direct' action. It is generally used when an action is taken in direct response to something that has just occurred or been completed. To describe something that happens just as quickly but unintentionally, 忽ち is a more appropriate choice.
- 問題が見つかったら、 直ちに上司に伝えてください。If you find an issue, please inform your manager immediately. (Intentional)
- その噂は忽ち学校中に広がった。That rumor instantly spread throughout the entire school. (Unintentional)
Examples
火災が発生した場合は、直ちに建物の外へ避難してください。
In case of a fire, please evacuate the building immediately.
直ちに結論を出す必要はありません。少し時間をかけて考えましょう。
There's no need to reach a conclusion right away. Let's take some time to think about it.
容疑者は直ちに警察に逮捕された。
The suspect was immediately arrested by the police.
問題が大きくなる前に、直ちに手を打つべきだ。
We should take action at once before the problem gets worse.
ご注文の商品は直ちに発送いたします。
The item you ordered will be shipped right away.
直ちにその場を離れなさい。
Leave this area at once!
新しい法律は、来月から直ちに施行されます。
The new law will be enforced immediately, starting next month.
この薬は直ちに効き始めるでしょう。
This medicine will likely start working immediately.
直ちに会議を始めましょう。
Let's start the meeting right now.
彼は私のメールに直ちに返事をくれなかった。
He didn't reply to my email right away.
システムにエラーが出たら、直ちに管理者に報告してください。
If an error occurs in the system, please report it to the administrator immediately.
この契約書は重要ですので、直ちにサインをお願いします。
This contract is important, so please sign it at once.