逆

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 逆, read ぎゃく, expresses a reversal of direction or order, or an opposite position.
• Basic usage: In 私は賛成だが、弟の意見はまったく逆だった。, the younger brother's opinion was the exact opposite of the speaker's support.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Routes and opinions
  • 道を逆に覚える means remembering a route backward, while 意見が逆 means opinions are opposite. The word applies to spatial direction and viewpoints.
• Distinguishing 逆らう
  • 逆らう, read さからう, describes going against an instruction or current. It differs in reading and grammatical role from standalone 逆, ぎゃく.