Word
逆様
Meaning in Englishreverse, upside down
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
逆様 means inverted or upside down; it describes something oriented in the opposite direction, or a situation where things are arranged in the reverse order.
Main meanings
- upside-down or inverted in physical orientation
- reversed in order or sequence
- figuratively, contrary or not in proper form
- technical or diagrammatic use to indicate reflection or inversion in mathematics or science
How to use it
Used mainly in written Japanese, especially descriptive, technical, or literary contexts; as a noun, it denotes orientation or state and is less common in casual conversation. It can describe something physically inverted or a situation processed in the reverse order, and may appear in formal explanations or analyses.
Variants and close terms
- 逆さま (さかさま, sakasama) — upside-down
- 反転した (はんてんした, hanten shita) — inverted or reversed in technical contexts
Composition
- 逆: reverse, opposite; indicates turning back or counter direction
- 様: form, appearance; in compounds, commonly read as よう and denotes state or manner
Etymology
ぎゃく よう combines 逆 meaning reverse and 様 meaning form or appearance; the compound expresses a form that is reversed in orientation.
Word class
Noun (名詞)