Opposites

Hey everyone, I decided to start a new monthly series about opposites! Opposites are two words with mirrored meanings. One is completely different from the other and they are seen as two sides of the same coin.

This will be a short lesson that you can use to help build up your vocabulary and organize words you already know in your mind. Each lesson I will present 5 sets of opposites. I hope you enjoy it!

Today I will look at noun pairs:

heads <-----> tails

The two opposite sides of a coin.

A: Call it, heads or tails?
(flips the coin)

B: Heads
(coin lands on tails)

A: Tails, you lose.

black <-------> white

Two colors, in English we always say black & white but in Japanese you say the opposite "白黒".

right <---------> left

These are the two sides of your body, the right "右" and the left "左".

right <-------> wrong

This is right meaning correct and good, in Japanese "正しい " and wrong meaning incorrect and bad, in Japanese "違う".

Do you know the difference between right and wrong?

cat <--------> dog

Now in western countries we see cats & dogs as opposites, always fighting and never getting along. In Japan, people see dogs and MONKEYS as opposites~! I find that really interesting and a funny cultural difference. Here's an idiom talking about this opposite pair:

They get along like cats and dogs.

This means they fight A LOT! They don't get along at all...

Hmmm, that is it for now, have a good weekend,

Phil