まさか

• Reading: まさか
• Romaji: masaka
• Pronunciation: /ma.sa.ka/

Meaning

No way!; by no means; surely not! Expresses strong surprise or disbelief at something unexpected.

Used as an interjection to express disbelief: まさか! (No way!). Also used adverbially with negative verbs: まさか来るとは思わなかった (I never thought they would come). The pattern まさか～とは思わなかった is extremely common and means I never expected that. Frequently heard in daily conversation.

Examples

1. まさか、あの二人が結婚するなんて信じられない。 No way — I can't believe those two are getting married!
2. まさか雪が降るとは思わなかった。 I never thought it would snow.
3. まさか自分が選ばれるとは思いませんでした。 I never expected that I would be the one chosen.

Usage Guide

Context: surprise, disbelief, conversation

Tone: emphatic

Origin & History

From まさ (正, true/proper) combined with the questioning particle か. Originally asked whether something could truly be the case — over time it evolved into a strong expression of disbelief.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal