裏目

• Reading: うらめ
• Romaji: urame
• Kanji breakdown: 裏 (ura) — back, reverse | 目 (me) — face, eye
• Pronunciation: /ɯ.ɾa.me/

Meaning

Backfiring; going wrong; producing the opposite of the intended result.

Almost always appears in the expression 裏目に出る (to backfire; to have the reverse effect). Describes situations where a well-intentioned or calculated action produces an unexpected negative outcome. The word originally referred to the back face of a die and evolved to describe contrary outcomes.

Examples

1. 早めに手を打ったつもりが、すべて裏目に出てしまった。 Thinking he had acted early enough, everything ended up backfiring.
2. 気を遣って言った一言が裏目に出て、関係がこじれてしまった。 A well-meant remark backfired and the relationship became strained.
3. 積極的な投資戦略が裏目に出て、大きな損失を被った。 The aggressive investment strategy backfired, resulting in heavy losses.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday life, business, strategy, personal reflection

Tone: rueful

Origin & History

Compound of 裏 (ura) meaning 'back, reverse' and 目 (me) meaning 'eye, face of a die'. Originates from dice games, where the back face represents the opposite of what was intended, extended to describe plans that produce contrary results.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal