すぐに・直ぐにsuguni[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. adverbimmediately; right away; at once; instantly
   あなたはすぐに良よくなるだろうと思おもいます。↗

   I hope you'll soon get well.

• Synonym直ちにただちにWrittenWritten/formal prose for immediate action with no delay; typical of announcements and commands, as in 「直ちに避難してください」.
• SynonymすぐさまWrittenWritten style for right away, stressing that something happens right on the heels of what came before — more so than 「すぐに」.
• SynonymとっさにNeutralNeutral; a hasty, split-second reaction in a sudden situation, as in 「とっさに避けた」 or 「とっさに嘘をつく」.
• Synonym即刻そっこくFormalFormal; at once, immediately, chiefly in commands, as in 「即刻退去せよ」.
• Synonym即座にそくざにNeutralNeutral; doing something on the spot without a moment's hesitation, as in 「即座に答える」; the stress is on the immediacy of that very moment.
• Synonym即時そくじFormalFormal; instant or real-time, mostly in compounds such as 「即時配送」.
• SynonymすかさずNeutralNeutral; seizing the moment and acting without the slightest hesitation, as in 「すかさず反論する」.
• Synonym早速さっそくNeutralNeutral; getting started on something right away, as in 「早速始めましょう」; the nuance is wasting no time in getting down to it.
• SynonymすぐCasualThe form without 「に」, very common in speech; it also covers closeness in space, as in 「すぐそこ」.
• SynonymたちどころにWrittenWritten/formal prose for something happening on the spot, at once, as in 「立ちどころに解決した」.
• SynonymやにわにWrittenWritten/formal prose for sudden, abrupt action, as in 「やにわに立ち上がる」; it can suggest doing something out of the blue.
• Synonym直様じきさまWrittenOld-fashioned word for immediately, little used today; in everyday speech say 「すぐに」.
• Synonym時を移さずときをうつさずWrittenA set phrase with a written flavor; acting at once without letting the moment slip by.
• RelatedパッとCasualColloquial mimetic word for something happening in a flash; stresses the speed of the action, as in 「パッと消える」.
• RelatedすぐとCasualOld colloquial form for right away; hardly used in modern Japanese.
• Related即そくNeutralNeutral; mostly a prefix, as in 「即決」, but colloquially used alone to mean right away, as in 「即帰る」.
• Antonym後であとでNeutralThe opposite of 「すぐに」: later, after a while.

「すぐに」 is the default for 'immediately'. In announcements and commands use 「直ちに」 or the more formal 「即刻」; for on-the-spot action 「即座に」; for split-second reactions in a sudden situation 「咄嗟に」; for getting started without delay 「早速」. 「パッと」 is a colloquial word for in a flash, and 「透かさず」 stresses seizing the moment. Written or dated forms like 「直ぐさま」「立ちどころに」「矢庭に」「直様」「時を移さず」「直ぐと」 are rare in conversation; 「即時」 appears mostly in compounds and 「即」 mostly as a prefix. For 'later', use 「後で」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 時間じかんをおかずに。極きわめて短みじかい時間じかんのうちに。ただちに。