Japanese word

開き直る

Pronunciation

Romajihirakinaoru

Meaning

  • verbbrazen it out

Example

失敗を謝らずに、開き直ります。ship pai o ayama ra zu ni hira ki nao ri ma su

I brazen it out without apologizing for my mistake.

Illustration for 開き直る (brazen it out)

More examples

注意されても、彼は開き直りました。chū i sa re te mo kare wa hira ki nao ri ma shi ta

Even when he was reprimanded, he brazened it out.

Core concept

It captures a sudden shift from being at fault or cornered to acting as though one has nothing to feel sorry for.

Common phrases

  • 開き直った態度hira ki nao tta tai do

    a defiant attitude

  • 開き直って謝らないhira ki nao tte ayama ra na i

    brazenly refuse to apologize

Similar words

居直るinaoru: To suddenly take a defiant attitude when cornered or challenged.
反発するhanpatsusuru: To resist criticism or pressure instead of accepting it.

Definition in Japanese

自分に非があってもそれを認めず、逆に相手へ強く出る。ji bun ni hi ga a tte mo so re o mito me zu gyaku ni ai te e tsuyo ku de ru

Word origin

開き直る (hirakinaoru) combines 開き (hiraki), the ren'yōkei of 開く (hiraku, "open"), with 直る (naoru, "return to normal"); the compound came to express a brazen change in attitude.

Usage tips

  • A speaker can use the expression about another person, while using it about oneself can add a deliberately self-aware and defiant tone.

Other meanings

  • become defiantverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 開き直りhirakinaoridefiancenoun

Word lists with this word