Japanese Word · Intermediate
寝耳に水
out of the blue, bolt from the blue, great surprise
Pronunciation: say 寝耳に水
Meaning
out of the blue, bolt from the blue, great surprise
Example
寝耳に水の話
a surprising story
Practice tips
- Practice 寝耳に水 out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this Japanese word is for intermediate-level learners.