ねじれる

• Reading: ねじれる
• Romaji: nejireru
• Kanji breakdown: 捩 (neji) — twist, wrench (rarely written in kanji)
• Pronunciation: /ne.dʑi.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To get twisted; to become crooked or warped. Describes physical distortion or figurative complications.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb. Beyond physical twisting of rope or fabric, commonly used figuratively for political situations (ねじれ国会 — a divided Diet) or interpersonal relationships gone awry.

Examples

1. 強い風で木の枝がねじれてしまった。 The tree branches twisted in the strong wind.
2. 与党と野党の対立で国会がねじれている。 Clashes between the ruling and opposition parties have left the Diet deadlocked.
3. 針金をねじれないように注意して曲げた。 I carefully bent the wire so it wouldn't get twisted.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, physical description, daily life

Tone: descriptive

Origin & History

Derived from the transitive verb ねじる (to twist), with the intransitive suffix れる. The kanji 捩 exists but is rarely used; hiragana is standard.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal