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How to say 'Reverse' or 'Opposite' in Japanese | 逆

Wondering how to say 'Reverse' or 'Opposite' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Reverse or Opposite is 'Gyaku', written as 逆 in Japanese.'Reverse' or 'Opposite' in hiragana is ぎゃく.

    word

    Meaning

    Reverse, Opposite

    Reading

    ぎゃく

    gyaku

    Kanji

    Reverse

    Explanation

    The Japanese adjectival noun '逆 (ぎゃく)' primarily means 'reverse' or 'opposite'. It is used to describe something that is contrary to the expected or usual direction, order, or condition. This word can be applied in various contexts, such as physical directions, logical sequences, or even abstract concepts. For example: the reverse side of the paper「紙の逆」(かみのぎゃく). He did the opposite of what I told him「彼は私が言ったことの逆をした」(かれはわたしがいったことのぎゃくをした). It's important to note that '逆' can also be used in compound words to express reversal or opposition, such as '逆転 (ぎゃくてん)' meaning 'reversal' or 'turnaround'.

    Part Of Speech

    adjectival noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N2

    Kanji Grade

    5

    Frequency

    4072

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Reverse

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 3 Words contain the Kanji 逆 as well.

  • word

    逆らう

    Meaning

    Defy

  • word

    逆さ

    Meaning

    Upside down

  • word

    逆さま

    Meaning

    Upside down

Learn the Word

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What does 'Gyaku' (逆) mean?

'Gyaku' means 'Reverse' or 'Opposite' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.