逆鱗

• 読み: げきりん
• ローマ字: gekirin
• 漢字の分解: 逆 (gyaku/geki) — reverse, against; 鱗 (rin) — scale (of a dragon or fish)
• 発音: /ɡe.ki.ɾi.ɴ/

意味

Fury; wrath; touching a sore spot. Specifically refers to incurring the fierce anger of a powerful person, derived from the myth of the dragon's reversed scale.

Used almost exclusively in the set phrase 逆鱗に触れる (to touch the dragon's reversed scale = to incur someone's wrath). According to legend, a dragon has one scale that grows in reverse; touching it provokes instant lethal fury. The expression thus means to unknowingly or unavoidably offend someone powerful. Often used in political, literary, and hierarchical contexts.

例文

1. うかつな発言が上司の逆鱗に触れてしまった。
2. 王の逆鱗に触れた者は容赦なく処罰された。
3. 父親の逆鱗に触れるようなことだけはしたくなかった。

使い方ガイド

場面: politics, hierarchical relationships, literary writing

トーン: cautionary

起源と歴史

From Chinese legend: 逆 (gyaku/geki) means 'reverse' and 鱗 (rin) means 'scale (of a fish or dragon).' The one reversed scale on a dragon's throat is its fatal weak point — touching it means instant death. The phrase entered Japanese from classical Chinese texts.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal