転倒・顛倒|てんとうtentou[0]heiban (flat)

Common
Which spelling to use
転倒転倒 is the most common written form and the form beginners should normally choose. It is written entirely in kanji.
顛倒顛倒 is a rarely used kanji-only variant of 転倒. You may encounter it, but it is not the form beginners should normally choose.
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbfall; falling down; tumbling; toppling (over)
    そのレースでは3人にんも転倒てんとうした。↗
    No less than 3 men fell in that race.
  2. noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbinversion; reversal; turning upside-down
    本末ほんまつを転倒てんとうするな。↗
    Don't put the cart before the horse.
  3. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbgetting upset; losing one's presence of mind
Conjugation
Dictionary form転倒する(てんとうする)
Polite (masu)転倒します(てんとうします)
Negative (nai)転倒しない(てんとうしない)
polite (masen)転倒しません(てんとうしません)
classical zu / nu転倒せず・転倒せぬ(てんとうせず・てんとうせぬ)
Past (ta)転倒した(てんとうした)
polite (mashita)転倒しました(てんとうしました)
Past negative (nakatta)転倒しなかった(てんとうしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)転倒しませんでした(てんとうしませんでした)
Te form転倒して(てんとうして)
Potential転倒できる(てんとうできる)
Passive転倒される(てんとうされる)
Causative転倒させる(てんとうさせる)
Causative passive転倒させられる(てんとうさせられる)
Conditional (ba)転倒すれば(てんとうすれば)
tara転倒したら(てんとうしたら)
Volitional転倒しよう(てんとうしよう)
polite (mashou)転倒しましょう(てんとうしましょう)
Imperative転倒しろ(てんとうしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym転覆てんぷくWrittenWritten-style noun for a boat or vehicle capsizing or a government being overthrown; the whole thing turns over, unlike 「転倒」, which is mostly people falling.
  • Related覆すくつがえすWrittenWritten-style verb for overturning established conclusions or overthrowing governments; never used for a person falling.
  • Related倒すたおすNeutralVerb for knocking something down or defeating it; the most versatile of the group, focused on bringing a standing thing down.
  • Relatedひっくり返すひっくりかえすNeutralTransitive verb for flipping something over or overturning it; very common in speech. 「転倒」 is mostly a written-style noun for falling down or being reversed.
  • Related転かすこかすCasualColloquial, mainly Kansai, verb for knocking something down or over; not formal.

Use 「転倒」 for a person falling or things being reversed, as in 「転倒して骨折」 and 「本末転倒」. For flipping something over say 「ひっくり返す」, for overturning decisions or governments 「覆す」, and for boats or vehicles capsizing 「転覆」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. ひっくり返かえること。さかさまになること。
  2. つまづいたりして倒たおれること。
  3. 気きが動転どうてんすること。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

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