旋毛つむじ曲まがり

つ

む

じ

ま

が

り

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

perverse; cantankerous; eccentric

Describes a person who is contrary, stubborn, or deliberately goes against the grain. Often used for someone with a twisted or difficult personality.

彼かれは旋毛つむじ曲まがりで、

人ひと

の

言い

う

こと

を

素す

直なお

に

聞き

か

ない

。

He is perverse and won't listen to what people say obediently.

あの旋毛つむじ曲まがりな性せい格かくは直なおらないだろう。

That cantankerous personality probably won't change.

Kanji

旋rotation, go around
毛fur, hair, feather
曲bend, music, melody

Related words

ひねくれ者もの
ひねくれ者 is a more common and straightforward term for a twisted or contrary person, while 旋毛曲がり has a slightly more colorful, idiomatic feel.
天あまの邪鬼じゃく
天の邪鬼 also means a contrarian or perverse person, but often implies a more playful or mischievous contrariness, whereas 旋毛曲がり can sound more stubborn and ingrained.

Built from

つむじ+曲まがる

Written forms

旋毛つむじ曲まがり
Standard kanji spelling; 旋毛 means 'hair whorl' and 曲がり means 'bent', together suggesting a twisted personality.
つむじ曲まがりUsage100%
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; common in everyday writing.

Etymology

From 旋毛 (つむじ, 'hair whorl') + 曲がり (まがり, 'bent'). The image is of a hair whorl that is twisted or bent, metaphorically applied to a person with a twisted or contrary disposition.