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意趣返し (いしゅがえし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'
revenge ; retaliation ; getting even
A somewhat formal or literary term for revenge, often implying a deliberate act of retaliation for a grudge or insult. Can be used as a noun or with する.
That's nothing more than retaliation.
Similar words 復ふく 讐しゅう 復讐 is the more common and general word for revenge, while 意趣返し is less frequent and carries a nuance of personal, often spiteful retaliation.
仕し 返かえ し 仕返し is a more casual and everyday term for getting back at someone, whereas 意趣返し is more formal and literary.
Etymology Compound of 意趣 (grudge, spite) and 返し (returning, paying back). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with the idea of returning a grudge.
