番狂(ばんくる)わせ

ばんくるわせ
noun
upset, unexpected result
leisure
1. upset, unexpected result, surprise outcome
An outcome that defies expectations, especially in competitions or sports where the expected winner loses.
大(おお)きな番狂(ばんくる)わせが起(お)きた。
A big upset occurred.
優勝候補(ゆうしょうこうほ)が初戦(しょせん)で負(ま)けるという番狂(ばんくる)わせがあった。
There was an upset where the tournament favorite lost in the first round.
今大会(こんたいかい)は番狂(ばんくる)わせが多(おお)く、予想(よそう)が難(むずか)しかった。
This tournament had many upsets, making predictions difficult.

Etymology

From 番(ばん) (order, ranking) + 狂(くる)わせ (causing to go wrong), literally "disrupting the expected order of rankings."

Usage

Primarily used in sports, competitions, elections, and other contexts where outcomes are predicted. The word emphasizes that the result contradicts what was expected.

Common collocations

Related Words

Compare: 大逆転(だいぎゃくてん) (dramatic reversal)
general
Added 2026.2.13 14:17 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
11000/11067_bankuruwase