DOKKI-RI どっきり
Meanings
An intensified form of DOKIRI or DOKIN: a sudden shock or fright that makes the heart pound. As a noun, DOKKIRI is also strongly associated with elaborate prank setups, especially on Japanese television.
Examples
Something suddenly jumped out from behind a hiding place and gave me such a shock I thought I was going to die.
突然、物陰から人が飛びだしてきて、死ぬかと思うほど、どっきりした。
Dogmatic Opinion
Today, DOKKIRI immediately brings to mind television prank shows in which celebrities are deliberately trapped in carefully prepared situations.
If the idea were merely “surprise,” BIKKU-RI would be enough. A DOKKIRI prank includes the side doing the surprising: preparation, staging, and usually at least a little malicious or mischievous intent.
That makes the modern noun DOKKIRI culturally richer than simply “a surprise.” It is a surprise engineered by someone else.
Proximate Expression
startled/shocked/jolted with surprise
A prank/practical joke.
Related Words
For Japanese Learners
For the bodily reaction, startled, gave me a fright, or my heart jumped may work. For the television-style noun, prank, elaborate prank, or hidden-camera prank is usually best. Compared with BIKKU-RI, DOKKI-RI more strongly evokes the sudden jolt to the heart, and DOKKIRI as a genre implies a deliberately staged setup.
