connective N2 uncommon politewritten
〜と逆に — contrary to ~ / the opposite of ~
〜と逆に ・ とぎゃくに
Meaning
- contrary to ~ / the opposite of ~ / the other way from ~ — states that what follows runs directly counter to the reference
逆 ('reverse, opposite') + に: と逆に says the situation that follows is the *reverse* of the named one. 予想と逆に、株価は急騰した ('contrary to expectations, stock prices shot up'). It's stronger than 'merely different' — it points to the polar opposite. Often used with 予想・予測・期待 to flag an outcome that went the other way.
Key sentence
私の考えと逆に、彼は計画に賛成した。
Contrary to what I thought, he agreed to the plan.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + と逆に | N + と逆に | 予想と逆に / 去年と逆に |
When: Written/formal; introduces a result or state that is the reverse of the reference, often a defied expectation.
Examples
事前の予測と逆に、売上は落ち込んだ。
Contrary to the earlier forecast, sales fell.
去年と逆に、今年は暖冬だ。
The opposite of last year, this winter is mild.
Easily confused with
〜反面 反面 presents two contrasting sides of the *same* thing ('convenient, but on the other hand expensive'); と逆に sets one thing as the *polar opposite* of a separate reference ('contrary to X, Y'). に対して に対して in its contrastive sense lines two things up to compare ('A is big, whereas B is small'); と逆に specifically says the second is the *reverse* of the first, not merely different.
Notes
- とは逆に (with は) adds emphasis to the contrast. Don't confuse with 反対に, a near-synonym that can stand alone without a と-reference.
See 〜と逆に in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜と逆に the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.