Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 6: 5/24

却(かえ)って

All the more, On the contrary, Conversely

Structure

Phrase (A) + かえって + Phrase (B)

Details

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    Formal

  • 使用域

    硬い

About 却って

In order to revoke, or take a step back from a statement that has already been made, 却(かえ)って will often be used. 却(かえ)って can translate as 'rather', or 'all the more'. If a sentence consists of '(A) 却(かえ)って, (B)', what it means is 'putting aside (A), (B)'. 却(かえ)って is an adverb.

却(かえ)って itself translates most closely to 'instead'. However, this is not the 'instead' used for phrases like '(B) was chosen over (A)', but the 'instead' used for phrases like '(A) couldn't be achieved, so (B)'. This shows that (A) is usually the intention or aim of the speaker, but (B) was the result instead.

Fun Fact

Another reading of the kanji used in 却(かえ)って is 却(しりぞ)く, which means 'to retreat'. This further highlights 却(かえ)って's nuance of 'stepping away' from the (A) statement, to show the real result of (B).

  • 「宿題(しゅくだい)やれ！」って言(い)われると、却(かえ)ってやりたくなくなる。
    When someone tells me to do my homework, taking a step back from that, it makes me not want to do it even more.
  • 遅(おそ)く走(はし)った方(ほう)が安全(あんぜん)だと思(おも)うかもしれないけど却(かえ)って危(あぶ)ないから、高速(こうそく)道路(どうろ)ではスピードを落(お)とさないで。
    You might think that it is safer to drive slower on a highway, but taking a step back from that, it is actually dangerous.

Examples

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    笑(わら)わせるつもりだったけど、却(かえ)って泣(な)かせてしまった。

    I intended to make her laugh, but on the contrary I unfortunately made her cry.

    お手伝(てつだ)いのつもりでしょうが、却(かえ)って迷惑(めいわく)です。

    I realize that you are trying to help, on the contrary you are getting in the way.

    近道(ちかみち)をするつもりが、却(かえ)って遠回(とおまわ)りしてしまった。

    I intended to take a shortcut, but on the contrary I accidentally took a detour.

    手術(しゅじゅつ)をしたら却(かえ)って悪化(あっか)する場合(ばあい)もあります。

    On the contrary, if you have an operation your condition could worsen.

    言(い)い訳(わけ)すると却(かえ)って悪(わる)い印象(いんしょう)を与(あた)える。

    You'll make all the more of a bad impression if you make excuses.

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      却って – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

      • eefara

        eefara

        Is there any way to know other than context when かえって means “all the more” rather than “on the contrary”?

      • mattbacon

        mattbacon

        It’s when you would expect whatever the topic is to be less based on the first clause, and you negate that in the second clause. Example: “She told me not to, but I just wanted to do it all the more.”

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