Takashi's Japanese Dictionary

A blog for learning Japanese that introduces Japanese slang words and Idioms!

  • Home
  • Posts ▾
    • Latest Posts
    • Featured Posts
    • Phrases by Topic
    • Slang
    • Idiom
    • Column
    • Grammar
    • Reading Comprehension
    • 英語に関する記事 (in Japanese)
  • Lesson Materials ▾
    • For Complete Beginners
    • For Intermediate/Advanced Learners
  • Tools ▾
    • Furigana Generator
    • Gairaigo/Wasei-Eigo Converter
  • What’s New
  • Social Media
  • About
You are here: Home / Advanced Word / Meaning of 本末転倒 (honmatsu tentou) in Japanese

Meaning of 本末転倒 (honmatsu tentou) in Japanese

September 16, 2018

Table of Contents

  • Pronunciation
  • Definition
  • Word Structure
  • Example Sentences

Pronunciation

https://takashionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20200628-201306.m4a

Definition

本末転倒 (ほんまつ てんとう, honmatsu tentou) is a famous 四字熟語 (four kanji expression) that describes the situation when primary objectives are sidelined by secondary objectives. For example, it is 本末転倒 if you go overseas for your holidays and travel around so many countries that you feel exhausted rather than relaxed. One of the most common 本末転倒 situations is when people confuse the means and ends. For instance, it is 本末転倒 if you’re obsessed with making a perfect note to prepare for exams, and realise that you don’t have enough time to memorise it. A similar English phrase would be “to put the cart before the horse”, but 本末転倒 is not necessarily related to the order of actions, but rather has something to do with the confusion of means and ends.

Word Structure

本末転倒 consists of four kanji characters: “本ほん” and “末まつ” mean “main” and “branch”, respectively, and “転倒てんとう” means “fall”. Therefore, what 本末転倒 means is that the main and secondary things are turned “upside-down”.

Example Sentences

Ex1
友達ともだちともっと遊あそべるようにバイトを始はじめたのに、忙いそしすぎて友達ともだちと会あうことができない。これは本末転倒だ
I started a part-time job so that I can go out with my friends more often, but now I’m too busy working to meet up with them. This is 本末転倒.

Ex2
もし沢山たくさんの論文ろんぶんを書かくことがメインの目的もくてきで、内容ないようはどうでもいいと思おもうのなら、それは本末転倒だ。


If publishing many papers is your main objective and you don’t care about the content, that is 本末転倒.

Synonyms: 主客転倒しゅきゃくてんとう (The main and secondary subject or person become inverted)
Synonyms in English: None
Related words and phrases: 転倒 (fall, stumble, be up side down)

Filed Under: Advanced Word

Related Posts

  • Meaning of 某 (bou) in Japanese and its Usage

  • Complicated Meanings of 開き直る (hiraki naoru) in Japanese

  • Advanced Word “お家芸 (Oiegei)” Meaning “Excellent Skills”

  • 替玉受験 (kaedama juken) Meaning “Test-Taking Imposter”

  • Idiom 猫の手も借りたい Meaning ‘Want to Borrow Cat’s Hand’

Featured Posts:

  • Japanese Conversation Practice to Master 気-related Idioms
  • “Gakkī Loss”: Meaning of ロス (“Loss”) in Japanese
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very”: Synonyms of とても (totemo)
  • 40 Ways of Saying "Many" in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, and More...)
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Success Story of Ichiro Suzuki: What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans

Popular Posts:

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • Meaning of “May Disease” (五月病, gogatsu byou) in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage
  • 50 Japanese Words and Idioms about Love & Relationship
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Meaning of Kenjataimu (賢者タイム, Kenja Time) in Japanese Slang
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • Meaning of “It will snow/rain a lot tomorrow” in Japanese (+ Other Languages)
  • コミュ障 (komyushou) Meaning ‘Suck at Communication’ in Japanese
  • 40 Ways of Saying “Many/Much” in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning ‘Go-Home Club’
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Meaning of だけに (dake ni) and Its Usage to Make a Pun in Japanese
  • Meaning of ペーパードライバー (‘Paper Driver’) in Japlish (Japanese English)
  • Meaning of “Three-Day Monk” (三日坊主, mikka bouzu) in Japanese
  • 20 Japanese Words and Onomatopoeia About Rain (雨, ame)
  • とにかく (Tonikaku) Means More Than “Anyway”
  • 炎上 (enjou) Meaning “Come Under Fire” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 相合傘 (ai ai gasa): Lovely Dream of Kids in Japan
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • 闇鍋 (yaminabe): Meaning “Dark Hot Pot” with Random Ingredients
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Ageru, Kureru, and Morau: Meaning, Grammar and Difference
  • 凸凹, 〆, 卍: Meaning of Weird and Funny Looking Kanji

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

If you like this page, follow me on social media!

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    January 13, 2021 at 1:27 pm

    A similar phrase in English is “put the cart before the horse”, meaning to do things in the wrong order.

    Reply
    • Takashi says

      January 13, 2021 at 2:02 pm

      I’ve reflected your comment, thanks a lot!

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ブログランキング・にほんブログ村へPVアクセスランキング にほんブログ村

Follow me!

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

Trending Posts

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Meaning of Kenjataimu (賢者タイム, Kenja Time) in Japanese Slang
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • 50 Japanese Words and Idioms about Love & Relationship
  • Meaning of “Three-Day Monk” (三日坊主, mikka bouzu) in Japanese
  • 40 Ways of Saying “Many/Much” in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • 鬼かわいい means “So cute”? Japanese Slang/Idioms about Oni
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • コミュ障 (komyushou) Meaning ‘Suck at Communication’ in Japanese
  • Meaning of “It will snow/rain a lot tomorrow” in Japanese (+ Other Languages)
  • とにかく (Tonikaku) Means More Than “Anyway”
  • 炎上 (enjou) Meaning “Come Under Fire” in Japanese
  • What’s 合コン (gōkon) and 街コン (machikon) in Japanese
  • Meaning of ペーパードライバー (‘Paper Driver’) in Japlish (Japanese English)
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very”: Synonyms of とても (totemo)
  • Meaning of 相合傘 (ai ai gasa): Lovely Dream of Kids in Japan
  • Japanese Money-Related Idioms and Slang Words
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning ‘Go-Home Club’
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Meaning of 遠慮 (enryo) and 空気を読む (kuuki wo yomu)
  • “I can’t say even ぐう”: A Japanese Idiom For Touché Moments
  • 黒歴史 (kuro rekishi): What’s “Black History” in Japanese Slang

Popular Posts

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • 30+ Essential Japanese Words and Idioms to Describe Food
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • 十八番 (ohako) Meaning “The Songs You Sing the Best”
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • Meaning of Kenjataimu (賢者タイム, Kenja Time) in Japanese Slang
  • Japanese Idiom “Put on a Cat”, 猫をかぶる (neko wo kaburu)
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese

Words by Theme

  • 30+ Essential Japanese Words and Idioms to Describe Food
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns

Idiom

  • 十八番 (ohako) Meaning “The Songs You Sing the Best”
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • Japanese Idiom “Put on a Cat”, 猫をかぶる (neko wo kaburu)

Japlish

  • 深夜テンション (shinya tension) Meaning “Midnight High” in Japanese Slang
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Meaning of ペーパードライバー (‘Paper Driver’) in Japlish (Japanese English)

Slang

  • Meaning of *活: 婚活 (Konkatsu), 就活/終活 (Shūkatsu) and 朝活 (Asakatsu)
  • 女たらし (onna tarashi) Meaning ‘Lady’s Man’ in Japanese
  • オワコン (Owakon) Meaning ‘Old-Fashioned’ in Japanese Slang

Column

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 遠慮 (enryo) and 空気を読む (kuuki wo yomu)
  • Success Story of Ichiro Suzuki: What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans

Grammar

  • 全然おいしい: Meaning of Zenzen in Positive Sentences Without ない (Nai)
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • Ageru, Kureru, and Morau: Meaning, Grammar and Difference

日本語記事

  • 韻を踏むお茶目な英語表現、単語、フレーズ、イディオム30+
  • 頭に情景が浮かぶ面白い英語フレーズ、イディオム30+
  • ManyやA Lot Ofの類語、 言い換え英語表現50+の使い分け
  • 直訳すると変な英語表現、イディオム12
  • 「他界する」を意味するユニークな英語イディオム8選

Categories

Copyright © 2022 · All Rights Reserved