JLPT N3Spoken and written

かえってthe opposite result; it backfired

Something is done, or happens, and the result is the reverse of what you'd expect: the medicine makes you worse, the shortcut takes longer. Now and then the surprise is a good one.

近ちか道みちに入はいったら工こう事じ中ちゅうで、かえって時じ間かんがかかった。

I took a shortcut, but there were roadworks, so it actually took longer.

How to use it

what was done + かえって + the opposite result

An adverb. It sits in the half that tells the result.

Before it: What was done or what happened, most often an attempt to make things better. Often with たら, と or のに: 薬くすりを飲のんだら, 近ちか道みちをしたのに.
After it: The reverse of what you'd expect from it. Usually bad. When it is good, people say かえってよかった, "it turned out for the best".
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike.

In use

冷れい房ぼうを強つよくしたら、体からだが冷ひえてかえって仕し事ごとに集しゅう中ちゅうできなくなった。

I turned the air conditioning up, got chilled, and ended up less able to concentrate on my work.

新あたらしい機き種しゅより、古ふるい機き種しゅのほうがかえって使つかいやすい。

The old model is actually easier to use than the new one.

Newer should mean better. Here the old one wins.

電でん車しゃに乗のり遅おくれたけど、次つぎのが空すいていて、かえってよかった。

I missed my train, but the next one wasn't crowded, so it turned out for the best.

お礼れいまでいただいて、かえってすみません。

A thank-you present as well? I'm sorry to have put you to the trouble.

A set apology. Your favor was meant to help, and it has cost them a present.

かえって or むしろ?

Both can come out in English as "on the contrary". かえって needs something that was meant, or expected, to do the opposite of what it did: a medicine, a shortcut. Otherwise it is むしろ, which only weighs two sides and keeps one.

薬くすりを飲のんだら、かえって悪わるくなった。

I took the medicine and actually got worse.

The medicine was meant to help. It did the opposite.

辛からいものは苦にが手てじゃない。むしろ好すきだ。

I don't mind spicy food. If anything, I like it.

Nothing here could backfire, so かえって can't go here.

Close neighbours

むしろN3

"If anything". The two sides can be two things to do.

電でん車しゃを待まつより、むしろ歩あるいたほうが早はやい。

It would be quicker to walk than to wait for the train.

ところがN3

"But then…". It opens a new sentence with a turn nobody saw coming.

朝あさは晴はれていた。ところが、昼ひるから急きゅうに雨あめが降ふり出だした。

It was sunny in the morning. But then, from midday, it suddenly started to rain.

逆ぎゃくにN3

A more casual word for the same reversed result. Unlike かえって, it can also be "conversely", or hand a question back ("what about you?").

道みちに迷まよったけど、逆ぎゃくによかった。いい店みせを見みつけた。

I got lost, but it actually turned out well. I found a nice place.

Check yourself

1What did hurrying do?

急いそいだら、かえって遅おそくなった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

A「猫ねこ、苦にが手て？」　B「ううん、（　　）大だい好すき。」

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

丁てい寧ねいに謝あやまろうとして長ながく説せつ明めいしたことが、かえって相あい手てを怒おこらせてしまった。

I tried to apologize properly with a long explanation, and it only made the other person angry.

説せつ明めいを簡かん単たんにしようとして情じょう報ほうを削けずりすぎたため、かえって分わかりにくくなった。

I tried to simplify the explanation but cut too much information, so it actually became harder to understand.

遠とお回まわりになると思おもったが、川かわ沿ぞいの道みちを選えらんだら、かえって早はやく着ついた。

I thought it would be a detour, but taking the riverside road actually got me there sooner.