天邪鬼

• Reading: あまのじゃく
• Romaji: amanojaku
• Kanji breakdown: 天 (ama/ten) — heaven; 邪 (ja) — evil, wicked; 鬼 (ku/oni) — demon, ogre
• Pronunciation: /a.ma.no.dʑa.kɯ/

Meaning

Contrarian; perverse person; devil's advocate. Someone who deliberately opposes or goes against others.

A noun referring to a person who habitually disagrees, acts contrary to expectations, or takes pleasure in being contrary. Derived from a demon figure in Japanese folklore known for possessing and contradicting people. Used affectionately or critically depending on context. The person might argue for argument's sake or simply enjoy being different.

Examples

1. 彼は天邪鬼なところがあって、みんなが賛成すると反対したがる。 He has a contrarian streak—whenever everyone agrees, he wants to disagree.
2. 天邪鬼な彼女は、流行しているものをわざと避けた。 Being a contrarian, she deliberately avoided anything that was trendy.
3. 少し天邪鬼なくらいがちょうどいい、と彼は笑って言った。 Being a little bit of a contrarian is just right,' he said with a laugh.

Usage Guide

Context: personality, relationships, humour, folklore

Tone: light

Origin & History

From Japanese folklore: 天邪鬼 (Amanojaku) is a demon who possessed people and spoke words contrary to their true feelings. The kanji literally means 'heavenly evil demon.'

Cultural Context

Era: Folkloric-Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal