ぎゃく

reverse, opposite

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Usage and Meaning

The character (nì) primarily means 'to go against' or 'contrary to.' It is often used to describe movement or actions that oppose the normal direction or expectation, such as walking against a crowd or flying against the wind.

Common Collocations

  • (nì fēng): against the wind, often used in contexts like flying or sailing.
  • 逆行 (nì xíng): to move in the opposite direction, commonly used in traffic or metaphorical senses.
  • 逆境 (nì jìng): adversity or difficult circumstances.

Nuances

Using often implies resistance or opposition, sometimes with a negative or challenging connotation. It can describe physical direction, behavior, or abstract concepts like going against norms.

Common Confusions

Don't confuse with similar directional words like (fǎn), which also means 'opposite' but is more general and less about physical direction. emphasizes going against a flow or norm, often with effort or difficulty.

Example Sentences

He walked against the crowd, looking very special.

Flying against the wind is a challenge for airplanes.

His behavior went against common sense, confusing everyone.