Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘Contrary to’, ‘against’, or ‘opposite to’.
🎯 Primary Function
To express that a situation or action is in opposition to a noun (expectations, rules, etc.).
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun + に反して / Noun + に反する + Noun
Not typically used directly with i-adjectives; requires nominalization.
Not typically used directly with na-adjectives; requires nominalization.
Noun + に反しない (ni hanshinai)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Frequently used in business reports and legal contexts.
Informal Situations
Occasionally used when discussing surprising outcomes in daily life.
Written Language
Highly common in journalism, essays, and academic writing.
Spoken Language
Used in polite or formal speech; less common in casual slang.
💡 Common Applications
Expectations vs. Reality
Used when the actual result is the opposite of what was predicted or expected.
Example: 予想に反して (Contrary to expectations)
Violating Rules/Laws
Used when an action goes against established regulations, laws, or moral principles.
Example: 規則に反して (Against the rules)
Personal Will/Desire
Used when something happens that goes against what a person actually wanted to happen.
Example: 意向に反して (Against someone’s intentions)
Frequency
Common in news, formal writing, and business contexts.
Difficulty
N3/N2
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
予想に反して、試験は意外と簡単だった。
Furigana: よそう に はん して、しけん は いがい と かんたん だった。
Romaji: Yosou ni hanshite, shiken wa igai to kantan datta.
English: Contrary to my expectations, the exam was quite easy.
Example #2
実験の結果は、仮説に反するものだった。
Furigana: じっけん の けっか は、かりせつ に はん する もの だった。
Romaji: Jikken no kekka wa, kasetsu ni hansuru mono datta.
English: The results of the experiment were contrary to the hypothesis.
Example #3
彼は本意に反して、他部署へ異動させられた。
Furigana: かれ は ほんい に はん して、たぶしょ へ いどう させられた。
Romaji: Kare wa hon’i ni hanshite, tabusho e idou saserareta.
English: He was forced to transfer to another department against his will.
Example #4
飲酒運転は、法律に反する行為です。
Furigana: いんしゅ うんてん は、ほうりつ に はん する こうい です。
Romaji: Inshu unten wa, houritsu ni hansuru koui desu.
English: Driving after drinking alcohol is against the law.
Example #5
天気予報に反して、今日は大雨が降った。
Furigana: てんき よほう に はん して、きょう は おおあめ が ふった。
Romaji: Tenki yohou ni hanshite, kyou wa ooame ga futta.
English: Contrary to the weather forecast, it rained heavily today.
Example #6
その選手の振る舞いは、フェアプレーの精神に反していた。
Furigana: その せんしゅ の ふるまい は、フェアプレー の せいしん に はん して いた。
Romaji: Sono senshu no furumai wa, feapuree no seishin ni hanshite ita.
English: The player’s behavior was against the spirit of fair play.
Example #7
一般的なイメージに反して、この食べ物はとても健康にいい。
Furigana: いっぱんてき な いめーじ に はん して、この たべもの は とても けんこう に いい。
Romaji: Ippanteki na imeeji ni hanshite, kono tabemono wa totemo kenkou ni ii.
English: Contrary to popular belief, this food is actually very healthy.
Example #8
希望に反して、契約書にサインさせられた。
Furigana: きぼう に はん して、けいやくしょ に さんいん させられた。
Romaji: Kibou ni hanshite, keiyakusho ni sain saserareta.
English: I was made to sign the contract against my wishes.
Example #9
結果は、みんなの期待に反してしまった。
Furigana: けっか は、みんな の きたい に はん して しまった。
Romaji: Kekka wa, minna no kitai ni hanshite shimatta.
English: The outcome was contrary to everyone’s hopes.
Example #10
社則に反する行動をとれば、罰を受けます。
Furigana: しゃそく に はん する こうどう を とれば、ばつ を うけます。
Romaji: Shasoku ni hansuru koudou o toreba, batsu o ukemasu.
English: Acting against the company rules will result in punishment.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Nuance of surprise/disappointment
It often carries a nuance of surprise or disappointment because the reality didn’t match the standard/prediction.
Example: 期待に反して (Contrary to expectations)
Against personal will
Used when external pressure forces someone to do something they don’t want to do.
Example: 意に反して (Against one’s will)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 予想に反対して (Yosou ni hantai shite)
✅ 予想に反して (Contrary to expectations)
‘Hantai’ means ‘opposition’ as a noun or ‘opposite’ as an adjective, but ‘ni hanshite’ is the grammatical connector for ‘contrary to’.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to Formal.
Social Situations: Often used when reporting discrepancies or violations of social norms/rules.
Regional Variations: None.
🔍 Subtle Differences
に反して vs にもかかわらず
‘Ni hanshite’ emphasizes direct opposition to a noun, while ‘ni mo kakawarazu’ emphasizes ‘despite’ a fact or situation.
When to use: Use ‘ni hanshite’ when specifically contrasting an outcome with a prediction/rule.
📝 Conjugation Notes
‘に反して’ (ni hanshite) acts as an adverbial phrase. ‘に反する’ (ni hansuru) acts as an adjective to modify a following noun.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Ensure the ‘n’ sound in ‘han’ is clear and not blended too quickly into the ‘sh’ of ‘shite’.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘反’ (han) as the ‘anti-‘ or ‘opposite’ kanji. ‘Ni hanshite’ is literally ‘stepping against’ a path or expectation.
Other Grammar
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