Meaning

Primary

To Go Against

Alternatives

To Oppose, To Be Contrary To

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means opposite so the verb version is to oppose or to go against.

Reading

さからう
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you:

Just like when you play soccer (さか). You never play right, causing you to go against all things you're supposed to do and shoot goals into your own goalie's net.

Context

Context Sentences

お前、親に逆らうつもりか?

You're going against your parents?

やっぱり、誰も時代の流れに逆らうことはできないんだよ。

After all, no one can go against the current of the times.

フグは流れに逆らって川を上って行くサーモンに感動を覚えた。

Fugu was moved by Salmon who was swimming upstream against the river’s flow.

Kanji Composition