裏腹

• 読み: うらはら
• ローマ字: urahara
• 漢字の分解: 裏 (ura) — back, reverse | 腹 (hara) — belly, inner feeling
• 発音: /ɯ.ɾa.ha.ɾa/

意味

Opposite; contrary; reverse. Describes a stark contradiction between what is said and what is meant, or between appearance and reality.

Most commonly appears in the pattern 〜とは裏腹に (contrary to ~; in stark contrast to ~). Used to highlight ironic contradictions or unexpected inversions between intention and outcome, surface and substance. Very frequent in literary, journalistic, and analytical writing.

例文

1. 彼の言葉とは裏腹に、行動はまったく別の意図を示していた。
2. 笑顔とは裏腹に、彼女の心には深い悲しみが渦巻いていた。
3. 期待とは裏腹に、発表された結果は市場に衝撃を与えた。

使い方ガイド

場面: literature, journalism, character analysis, social commentary

トーン: ironic

起源と歴史

Compound of 裏 (ura) meaning 'back, reverse' and 腹 (hara) meaning 'belly, mind, true intention'. The image is of a 'reverse belly' — what lies hidden underneath, contrary to the surface — reflecting the Japanese concept of tatemae (surface) vs honne (true feeling).

文化的背景

時代: Modern

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal