旋毛つむじ曲まがり

つ

む

じ

ま

が

り

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

perverse; cantankerous; eccentric

Describes a person who is contrary, stubborn, or deliberately goes against the grain. Often used for someone with a twisted or difficult personality.

彼かれは旋毛つむじ曲まがりで、人ひとの言いうことを素す直なおに聞きかない。
He is perverse and won't listen to what people say obediently.

あの旋毛つむじ曲まがりな性せい格かくは直なおらないだろう。

That cantankerous personality probably won't change.

Written forms

旋毛つむじ曲まがり
Standard kanji spelling; 旋毛 means 'hair whorl' and 曲がり means 'bent', together suggesting a twisted personality.
つむじ曲まがりUsage100%
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; common in everyday writing.

Kanji

旋rotation, go around
毛fur, hair, feather
曲bend, music, melody

Similar words

ひねくれ者もの
ひねくれ者 is a more common and straightforward term for a twisted or contrary person, while 旋毛曲がり has a slightly more colorful, idiomatic feel.
天あまの邪鬼じゃく
天の邪鬼 also means a contrarian or perverse person, but often implies a more playful or mischievous contrariness, whereas 旋毛曲がり can sound more stubborn and ingrained.

Etymology

From 旋毛 (つむじ, 'hair whorl') + 曲がり (まがり, 'bent'). The image is of a hair whorl that is twisted or bent, metaphorically applied to a person with a twisted or contrary disposition.