直

• Reading: じき
• Romaji: jiki
• Kanji breakdown: 直 (choku/jiki/nao) — straight, direct, soon
• Pronunciation: /dʑi.ki/

Meaning

Immediately; soon; shortly. Something that happens right away or very soon.

An adverb (also na-adjective and noun) meaning very soon or immediately. Common in casual speech: じきに届く (jiki ni todoku, it will arrive soon), じきに慣れる (jiki ni nareru, you will get used to it soon). More colloquial than すぐ (sugu), carrying a warm, reassuring tone. As a na-adjective it can mean 'direct' or 'honest'.

Examples

1. 心配しなくてもじきに慣れるよ。 Don't worry — you'll get used to it before long.
2. バスはじきに来るはずだ。 The bus should be here any minute now.
3. 春になればじきに暖かくなる。 Once spring comes, it'll warm up soon enough.

Usage Guide

Context: daily conversation, reassurance, predictions

Tone: reassuring

Origin & History

From the kanji 直 (choku/jiki, straight/direct). The adverbial meaning 'soon' derives from the idea of something arriving in a straight, direct path without delay.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal