1.
inside out, turning over, flipping
The physical act of turning something inside out or flipping it over, such as clothing or fabric.
シャツを裏返しに着ている。
You're wearing your shirt inside out.
靴下を裏返しにして洗濯すると汚れが落ちやすい。
If you turn your socks inside out before washing, the dirt comes off more easily.
ポケットを裏返しにして中身を確認した。
I turned my pocket inside out to check the contents.
2.
the reverse, the opposite side, the flip side
Used figuratively to mean the opposite or reverse side of something abstract, such as an emotion or situation.
あの怒りは愛情の裏返しだ。
That anger is the flip side of love.
厳しさは期待の裏返しだと思う。
I think the strictness is the flip side of high expectations.
彼女の冷たい態度は本当は寂しさの裏返しなのかもしれない。
Her cold attitude might actually be the reverse side of loneliness.
裏返し has both a physical meaning (turning inside out) and a figurative one (the flip side of something).
SENSE 1 — PHYSICAL:
- 裏返しにする: to turn inside out/upside down
- 裏返しに着る: to wear inside out
- 裏返しに干す: to hang out to dry inside out
Commonly used with clothing, pockets, and fabric items.
SENSE 2 — FIGURATIVE:
The pattern Aの裏返し means "the flip side of A" — implying that a seemingly negative quality is actually a manifestation of something else.
- 怒りは愛情の裏返し: anger is the flip side of love
- 厳しさは期待の裏返し: strictness is the flip side of high expectations
RELATED:
The verb 裏返す means to turn something inside out or to flip it over.