なり (nari): As soon as
〜なり (nari)
Meaning
As soon as
Formation and usage
V dictionary + なり
Notation: N = noun; V dictionary = dictionary-form verb; V stem = the stem before ます; plain clause = plain-form clause; negative stem = the form before ない. Follow the attachment shown above.
Explanation
Often describes the same person's immediate and somewhat unexpected second action.
Examples
彼は部屋に入るなり、窓を開けた。
As soon as he entered the room, he opened the window.
子供は母親を見つけるなり、駆け寄った。
As soon as the child spotted his mother, he ran over to her.
彼女は知らせを聞くなり、席を立った。
As soon as she heard the news, she got up from her seat.
弟は帰宅するなり、ソファーに倒れ込んだ。
As soon as my younger brother got home, he collapsed onto the sofa.
客はメニューを見るなり、店員を呼んだ。
As soon as the customer looked at the menu, he called the server.
How related patterns differ
が早いか, なり, and や否や narrate an immediate following event. か～ないかのうちに suggests the first may not yet have finished. そばから often describes an action being repeated or undone, rather than simply a sequence.