逆に
gyaku ni
Conversely; on the contrary
逆に marks a reversal or contrast, meaning 'conversely' or 'on the contrary'.
How to form it
逆に is an adverb that attaches at the start of a clause or sentence. It does not conjugate and can be followed by a comma or directly by the clause.
What it means
逆に is used to present the opposite side of a statement or situation. It often appears when the speaker wants to say that the opposite of what was just mentioned is true, or to introduce a contrasting viewpoint. Unlike しかし (but), which simply connects contrasting facts, 逆に emphasizes a reversal of expectations or logic.
In conversation, 逆に can also express that something is the opposite of what one might assume. For example, if someone expects a task to be easy but it's hard, you could say 逆に難しかった. It's a natural way to flip the perspective. It is common in both spoken and written Japanese, but in formal writing, it might be replaced with 反対に, though 逆に is still acceptable in most contexts.
Example sentences
運動すると疲れるどころか、逆に元気になる。
Undō suru to tsukareru dokoro ka, gyaku ni genki ni naru.
Instead of getting tired from exercise, I actually feel more energized.
彼はいつも忙しいと言っているが、逆に暇なのかもしれない。
Kare wa itsumo isogashii to itte iru ga, gyaku ni hima na no kamoshirenai.
He always says he's busy, but maybe he's actually free.
この店は安いと思ったら、逆に高いものが多かった。
Kono mise wa yasui to omottara, gyaku ni takai mono ga ōkatta.
I thought this store was cheap, but on the contrary, it had many expensive items.
Don’t confuse it with
反対に
Both mean 'on the contrary', but 逆に often implies a reversal of expectation or logic, while 反対に is more neutral and simply means 'in opposition'. In many cases they are interchangeable, but 逆に is more common in casual speech.
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逆に is neutral and used in both spoken and written Japanese, though it is slightly more conversational than 反対に.
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What does 逆に mean?
Conversely; on the contrary. 逆に marks a reversal or contrast, meaning 'conversely' or 'on the contrary'.
How do you form 逆に?
逆に is an adverb that attaches at the start of a clause or sentence. It does not conjugate and can be followed by a comma or directly by the clause.
Example of 逆に in a sentence
運動すると疲れるどころか、逆に元気になる。 — Instead of getting tired from exercise, I actually feel more energized.
反対に — what is the difference?
Both mean 'on the contrary', but 逆に often implies a reversal of expectation or logic, while 反対に is more neutral and simply means 'in opposition'. In many cases they are interchangeable, but 逆に is more common in casual speech.
What JLPT level is 逆に?
JLPT N2 (upper intermediate), number 94 of 195 in Nihoner's learning order for N2.
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