逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)

ぎゃくせつてき
adjective-na
paradoxical; ironic
1. paradoxical; ironic; seemingly contradictory
Describes something that appears contradictory or goes against common sense, but may contain a deeper truth. Used for situations, statements, or outcomes that are the opposite of what one would expect.
逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)な言(い)い方(かた)だ。
That's a paradoxical way of putting it.
逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)だが、失敗(しっぱい)が成功(せいこう)への近道(ちかみち)だ。
Paradoxically, failure is the shortcut to success.
便利(べんり)になればなるほど人間(にんげん)が不幸(ふこう)になるというのは、逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)な現象(げんしょう)だ。
The more convenient things become, the unhappier people get — that is a paradoxical phenomenon.

Composed of 逆説(ぎゃくせつ) (paradox) and 的(てき) (suffix making na-adjectives). Describes situations or statements that seem contradictory but may reveal a truth.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)に: paradoxically (adverbial form)
  • 逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)な表現(ひょうげん): paradoxical expression
  • 逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)な結果(けっか): paradoxical result
  • 逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)だが: paradoxically (sentence opener)

USAGE:
Often used as a sentence-opening hedge: 逆説的(ぎゃくせつてき)だが... ("Paradoxically,...") to introduce a statement that goes against expectations.

RELATED TERMS:

  • 逆説(ぎゃくせつ): paradox (noun)
  • 矛盾(むじゅん): contradiction — a direct logical conflict, not necessarily containing deeper truth
  • 皮肉(ひにく): irony, sarcasm — can overlap, but also covers verbal irony and sarcasm
general
Added 2026.4.3 1:16
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