as soon as; the moment

なり means that right after one action, an unexpected second one followed by the same subject. Attach it to a verb's dictionary form. Unlike が早いか, the two actions share one subject and the result is often startling.

Examples

• 彼女かのじょは手紙てがみを読よむなり、泣なき出だした。

  Kanojo wa tegami o yomu nari, nakidashita.

  The moment she read the letter, she burst into tears.

• 子供こどもは家いえに帰かえるなり、外そとへ遊あそびに行いった。

  Kodomo wa ie ni kaeru nari, soto e asobi ni itta.

  As soon as the child got home, he went out to play.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 彼女 she, her
• 手紙 letter
• 読む to read
• 泣く to cry
• 出す to take out; to submit
• 子供 child

Related patterns · Immediacy and timing

• 〜が早いか as soon as; no sooner than
• 〜そばから no sooner than; as fast as (repeatedly)
• 〜や否や as soon as; the instant
• 〜を皮切りに starting with; beginning from