横おう柄へい

お

う

へ

い

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

Describes a person, attitude, or manner that is overbearing and condescending. Often used for someone who acts superior or talks down to others.

彼かれの横おう柄へいな態たい度どには本ほん当とうに腹はらが立たつ。
His arrogant attitude really makes me angry.
あの店てん員いんは客きゃくに対たいして横おう柄へいだ。
That clerk is insolent toward customers.

See all 22 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に横おう柄へいな態たい度どをとるto take an arrogant attitude toward someone
彼かれは部ぶ下かに横おう柄へいな態たい度どをとる。
He acts arrogantly toward his subordinates.
横おう柄へいな口く調ちょうで話はなすto speak in an arrogant tone
店てん員いんに横おう柄へいな口く調ちょうで話はなすのはやめてほしい。
I wish he'd stop speaking to the store staff in such an arrogant tone.
横おう柄へいに振ふる舞まうto behave arrogantly
彼かれは成せい功こうしてから横おう柄へいに振ふる舞まうようになった。
He started behaving arrogantly after becoming successful.

Kanji

横sideways, side, horizontal
柄design, pattern, build
押push, stop, check

Related words

傲ごう慢まん
傲慢 describes a deep-seated, formal sense of pride and arrogance, while 横柄 focuses on outwardly overbearing, insolent behavior criticized in everyday speech.
高こう慢まん
高慢 conveys arrogance mixed with vanity or conceit, whereas 横柄 emphasizes rude, condescending treatment of other people.
尊そん大だい
尊大 describes a pompous, self-important manner of carrying oneself, while 横柄 more specifically describes insolent behavior directed at others.
不ふ遜そん
不遜 is a literary, formal word for insolence or lack of humility, while 横柄 is the everyday word used to criticize someone's rude attitude.
無ぶ礼れいN1
横柄 describes an arrogant, high-handed manner, while 無礼 is the broader term for any disrespectful or discourteous act.

Opposites

謙けん虚きょN2
謙虚 means humble and modest, the direct opposite of the arrogant, overbearing manner described by 横柄.

Don't confuse with

横おう暴ぼう
横暴 describes tyrannical or violent abuse of power, while 横柄 describes a merely arrogant, condescending attitude without necessarily abusing power.
横おう着ちゃくN1
横柄 looks similar and shares the kanji 横 but means arrogant or high-handed toward others, not lazy or corner-cutting like 横着.
大おお柄がらN1
横柄 (arrogant, haughty attitude) shares the kanji 柄 and sounds similar but has nothing to do with physical size, unlike 大柄.

Written forms

横おう柄へいUsage96%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news and spec priority.
おうへいUsage4%
押おう柄へい
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

The kanji 横 (side, horizontal) and 柄 (handle, pattern) combine to suggest a sideways, off-center bearing, i.e., an attitude that is not straight or respectful. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound has been used since at least the Edo period to describe overbearing behavior.