のけぞる

の

け

ぞ

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

bend backwards; lean back

usually written using kana alone

Describes the physical action of bending one's upper body backward, often suddenly or deeply.

彼かれは驚おどろいてのけぞった。
He bent backwards in surprise.
笑わらいすぎてのけぞる。
I lean back from laughing too much.

2

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be taken aback; be shocked

usually written using kana alone

Figurative use: to be so surprised or shocked that one mentally recoils, as if physically bending backward.

その値ね段だんを聞きいてのけぞった。
I was taken aback when I heard the price.

Written forms

のけぞるUsage82%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 仰け反る is less common.
仰のけ反ぞるUsage10%
Kanji form; less common than kana.
のけ反ぞるUsage8%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form.
仰反のけぞるUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form.

Kanji

仰face-up, look up, depend
反anti-

Similar words

仰あお向むけ
仰向け is a noun meaning 'face up' or 'on one's back', while のけぞる is a verb describing the action of bending backward.
反そる
反る means 'to warp' or 'to bend backward' in a more general sense; のけぞる specifically refers to a person bending their upper body backward.

Etymology

Compound of のけ (adverbial form of のく 'to step aside') + 反る (そる 'to bend'). The exact derivation is uncertain, but the word likely originated from the image of bending backward as if stepping aside.