逆ギレ
Meaning: Getting angry at the person who rightfully called you out — flipping the blame when you are in the wrong.
When someone is caught making a mistake or doing something wrong and responds by getting angry at the person who pointed it out, that is 逆ギレ. It is a reversal (逆) of who should be upset — the guilty party snaps (キレる) instead of apologising. The behaviour is universally seen as immature and frustrating, and the term is widely used in everyday Japanese to call it out.
Examples
- 遅刻を注意したら逆ギレされてマジ意味わかんない。 提醒他迟到了结果反被他冲,真搞不懂。Le dije que llegaba tarde y se enfadó conmigo. No lo entiendo.지각을 주의했더니 역으로 화를 내서 진짜 이해가 안 돼.
- 自分が悪いのに逆ギレする人ってほんと無理。 明明是自己的错却恼羞成怒的人真受不了。La gente que se pone borde cuando es ella la que tiene la culpa me resulta insoportable.자기가 잘못했으면서 역으로 화내는 사람은 진짜 무리야.
- 逆ギレされるとこっちが悪いみたいになるから厄介だよ。 被倒打一耙的话反而显得是自己的错,真的很烦。Cuando alguien te echa la culpa a ti en vez de aceptar la suya, la situación se vuelve muy complicada.역으로 화를 내면 이쪽이 잘못한 것처럼 되니까 골치 아파.
Pronunciation
/ɡʲa.kɯ ɡi.ɾe/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, workplace gossip, social media, complaints
Tone: exasperated, critical
✓ Do Say
- 注意したら逆ギレされてマジで疲れる。 (I pointed it out and got reverse-snapped at — I'm so tired of this.)我指出来了结果被恼羞成怒怼回来,真的累了。(I pointed it out and got reverse-snapped at — I'm so tired of this.)注意したら逆ギレされてマジで疲れる。 (Le llamé la atención y se puso borde conmigo. Estoy agotado de esto.)注意したら逆ギレされてマジで疲れる。 (주의했더니 역으로 화를 내서 진짜 피곤해.)
- 逆ギレする人とは話し合いにならない。 (You can't have a discussion with someone who does gyaku-gire.)跟恼羞成怒的人没法讲道理。(You can't have a discussion with someone who does gyaku-gire.)逆ギレする人とは話し合いにならない。 (No se puede razonar con alguien que hace gyaku-gire.)逆ギレする人とは話し合いにならない。 (역으로 화내는 사람하고는 대화가 안 돼.)
✗ Don't Say
- 上司が怒ったときに「逆ギレですか」は火に油 (Saying 'is that gyaku-gire?' to an angry boss will only make things worse)对正在发火的上司说「逆ギレですか」只会火上浇油上司が怒ったときに「逆ギレですか」は火に油 (Decirle a un jefe enfadado '¿eso es gyaku-gire?' solo echa más leña al fuego)상사가 화났을 때 「逆ギレですか」라고 하면 불에 기름을 붓는 격이다
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 逆ギレ with simply getting angry — the key element is that the person is in the wrong AND gets angry at the person who called them out
Origin & History
Compound of 逆 (gyaku, reverse/opposite) and キレる (kireru, to snap/lose one's temper). The term became widely used in the 1990s-2000s through media and everyday conversation to describe this universally frustrating behaviour.
Cultural Context
Era: 1990s-2000s, popularised through media and everyday usage
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The concept resonates strongly in a culture that values humility and accountability.
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