Japanese

らう

さからう
Meaning: to go against; to oppose; to disobey
Part of Speech: Verb

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Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 逆らう 逆らわない
Polite 逆らいます 逆らいません
Past 逆らった 逆らわなかった
Polite + Past 逆らいました 逆らいませんでした
Te-form 逆らって 逆らわなくて
Potential 逆らえる 逆らえない
Passive 逆らわれる 逆らわれない
Causative 逆らわせる 逆らわせない
Causative + Passive 逆らわされる 逆らわされない
Imperative 逆らえ 逆らうな

Handwriting

逆
ら
う

Example sentences

It is difficult to live against the flow of the times.
「この俺様に逆らうとは、いい度胸だな」と彼は不敵に笑った。
"You've got some nerve defying me," he said with a fearless smile.
独裁者に逆らった彼は、反逆者として捕らえられた。
He was captured as a rebel who opposed the dictator.
将軍の鋒芒逼人の態度に誰も逆らえなかった
No one could defy the general's overwhelming presence.

Usage Notes

Used for opposing physical forces (current) or social/authoritative ones (parents, orders).

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