JLPT N3

かえって

on the contrary; rather; instead

Structure

Sentence A。かえって Sentence B。

How it works

Used to introduce a result or situation that is the opposite of what was anticipated, intended, or would logically follow. It often implies a negative or ironic outcome.

Examples

勉強のしすぎで、かえって成績が下がってしまった。

By studying too much, on the contrary, my grades dropped.

Common mistakes

Using it for simple contrast like 'しかし'; 'かえって' specifically highlights an unexpected or counterintuitive result.

Tip

Think of 'かえって' as a switch: you expect one outcome, but it flips to the opposite.

More JLPT N3 grammar

としてに対してについてによってに関してにとってわけだわけがない

See かえって in real Japanese

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