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気づいたときには たまっているもの
You'll save [enough money] before you know it.

At least based on the dictionary definition and examples, 気づくseems to be an instantaneous verb, "realize". How then does とき fit in this sentence? I thought とき means while doing something.

Eddie Kal
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  • Do these help? https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/30926 https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/11699 https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/11975 https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/19332 – Eddie Kal Nov 28 '21 at 17:08
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    とき means not only *while* but also *when*. – sundowner Nov 29 '21 at 01:10
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    Maybe you have mixed とき and あいだ? とき is typically "when" and あいだ is typically "while". – naruto Nov 29 '21 at 03:13

1 Answers1

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The questions linked in the comment by @Eddie Kal, taken together, should answer your question in depth.

In brief, とき literally means "time", and can be used to mean "time while doing something", or "time when something happens / happened / will happen".

In your sample sentence, we can break things down as follows:

  • 気【き】づいたときにはたまっているもの
    [気づいた]{noticed}[とき]{time when  }[に]{at}[は]{  CONTRASTIVE  }[たまっている]{  it is accumulating / accumulated  }[もの]{  REASON}
    (literal) At the time you've noticed it, it will have been accumulated, is the reason
    (idiomatic) Because before you know it, it'll be saved up
Eiríkr Útlendi
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