Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
裏話 (うらばなし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
inside story ; behind-the-scenes account
Refers to the real, often hidden or untold story behind an event, situation, or person. Commonly used in journalism, entertainment, and casual conversation.
の
裏うら
話ばなし
を
たくさん
知し
っ
て
いる
。
He knows a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about famous actors.
Written forms 裏うら 話ばなし Usage 92%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
ウラ 話ばなし Usage 8%
Katakana variant sometimes used for emphasis or in informal writing.
ウラばなし
Similar words 内ない 緒しょ 話ばなし 内緒話 is a secret conversation or confidential talk between people, while 裏話 is a story or account that reveals hidden facts, often about a public event or person.
暴ばく 露ろ 話ばなし 暴露話 emphasizes exposing secrets or scandals, often with a sensational tone, whereas 裏話 is a more neutral term for an untold story.
Etymology Compound of 裏 (ura, 'back, reverse side') and 話 (hanashi, 'story, talk'), literally 'back story'. The reading ばなし is a rendaku form of はなし.