# とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり: unlike; totally different; very different from ~
> Learn how to use とは打って変わって/とは打って変わり, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning unlike, totally different, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons.
JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-towa-utte-kawatte-to-wa-utte-kawari/
**とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり** means **unlike; totally different; very different from ~**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to highlight a drastic, complete reversal from a previous state or expectation.
This grammar point often appears in novels, essays, news reports, and JLPT N1 reading sections. If you want to signal that a situation has transformed completely — and carry the weight of that transformation — **とは打って変わって** is a pattern you need.
Sometimes the weather, a person, or an entire situation flips completely — and Japanese has a striking phrase for that moment: とは打って変わって.
## What does とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり mean?
Use **とは打って変わって** (or the variant **とは打って変わり**) when you want to show that something is **totally different** or **the complete opposite** of what it was before, or of what you would have expected.
Natural translations include:
- unlike …
- the exact opposite; a total change from …
- in stark contrast to …
The phrase is built around the verb **打って変わる** (_utteru kawaru_), which implies a dramatic, almost violent shift. It paints a picture of a scene being flipped like a switch. The difference is not a slight tweak — it’s a fundamental reversal.
## How to form とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり
The grammar point attaches to a **noun** that sets the baseline — a time, a person, a situation, anything that serves as the “before” or “expected” standard.
Noun
+
とは打って変わって
or
Noun
+
とは打って変わり
Both forms are used to connect a clause that describes the new, contrasting situation. **とは打って変わって** is the -te form and is more conversational; **とは打って変わり** is the stem form, often seen in formal or written Japanese. The meaning is identical.
Examples of the pattern:
- 昨日＋とは打って変わって
- 以前＋とは打って変わり
- 彼の態度＋とは打って変わって
Important: the item before the phrase must be a noun. A verb or clause doesn’t work directly.
## When is とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり used?
Typical situations:
- **Time shifts**: yesterday vs today, last year vs this year, morning vs evening.
- **Personal contrasts**: describing someone’s sudden change in behaviour, mood, or appearance.
- **Weather / environment**: a stormy morning turning into a bright afternoon.
- **Expectation vs reality**: a long-awaited event that turns out completely different from what you imagined.
Tone and register:
- Can be used in both speech and writing, but leans slightly **formal/literary**.
- Carries a sense of **surprise** or **emotional weight** — it is not a neutral “on the other hand.”
It appears frequently in narratives, personal letters, and JLPT N1 reading passages where the author wants to emphasize a sharp contrast.
## とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり example sentences
昨日とは打って変わって、今日は真夏のような暑さだ。
Unlike yesterday, today is as hot as midsummer.
彼は以前とは打って変わって、別人のように優しくなった。
Totally different from before, he has become kind, like a different person.
初日の盛況とは打って変わり、二日目は客がほとんどいなかった。
In stark contrast to the first day’s packed venue, on the second day there were almost no customers.
期待していた姿とは打って変わって、現実は厳しかった。
Completely unlike the image I had hoped for, the reality was harsh.
午前中の激しい雨とは打って変わって、午後は快晴になった。
In total contrast to the heavy rain in the morning, the afternoon turned beautifully clear.
After reading each sentence, ask what job the grammar pattern is doing: it’s highlighting a fundamental reversal. That mental check helps internalize the nuance faster than memorizing a translation.
## Nuance of とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり
The core nuance is a **total, often surprising, reversal** — not a gradual change or a slight difference. The word 打つ means “to strike,” so the image is one of being hit by the difference; the change is sudden and complete.
Because of this strength, **とは打って変わって** is seldom used for minor adjustments. You wouldn’t say “my score went from 80 to 82 points とは打って変わって” — that would be an exaggeration. Use it when the contrast is undeniable.
Additionally, the phrase often carries the speaker’s emotional reaction: surprise, relief, disappointment, or a wry observation. The context determines the emotional colour, but the grammar itself flags that the difference is significant.
🖊️
Don't use とは打って変わって just to say "by the way." It's not a filler — it's a spotlight on a radical shift. If you only mean "in contrast" in a neutral comparison, 一方 (いっぽう) or それに対して is safer.
## とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり vs にひきかえ
Both grammar points express contrast, but they work in different emotional registers.
とは打って変わって
drastic, observable change
focus on the fact that something has become completely different
昨日とは打って変わって、今日は晴れた。
Unlike yesterday, today is sunny. (neutral to positive surprise)
にひきかえ
contrast with a sense of unfairness or disappointment
the speaker feels that the two things should not be so different; often carries a complaint
昨日の好天にひきかえ、今日は土砂降りだ。
Compared to yesterday’s great weather, today is pouring — and that's frustrating.
In a nutshell: **とは打って変わって** reports the reversal itself; **にひきかえ** layers on a judgment that the contrast is regrettable or ironic. Use the former to describe a shocking flip; use the latter when you want to complain about the disparity.
## Common mistakes with とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり
❌
雨が降ったとは打って変わって、晴れた。
✅
昨日の雨とは打って変わって、今日は晴れた。
The phrase attaches to a noun, not a whole clause. Express the previous state as a noun phrase (e.g., 昨日の雨, 以前の態度).
❌
彼とは打って変わって、優しくなった。
✅
彼は以前とは打って変わって、優しくなった。
When comparing with a person’s earlier self, include a time or state word (以前, 昔, 初対面の時) before とは. Saying just 彼とは打って変わって sounds like “unlike him” (comparing him to someone else) unless a time reference is clear.
❌
ちょっと変わったとは打って変わって。
✅
見違えるほど変わった。（if meaning "changed dramatically", avoid とは打って変わって without a concrete before-reference）
This grammar doesn't mean “to change” as an action; it is a fixed construction meaning “in stark contrast to X.” Don't try to use it as a standalone verb.
A useful drill: write a sentence with **とは打って変わって**, then circle the noun right before it. If that noun doesn’t clearly name a “before” state, rephrase.
## Is とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり on the JLPT?
Yes. This pattern is a **JLPT N1** grammar item. It appears in reading comprehension, sentence-order questions, and occasionally in listening, where the speaker’s tone signals contrast.
N1
🔲 recognise in written texts
🔲 understand the contrast it signals
🔲 distinguish it from similar contrast patterns
Expect it in passages where an author describes a turning point — a character’s change of heart, a sudden shift in circumstances, or an unexpected outcome.
For test preparation, practice identifying what two things are being contrasted. Underline the noun before the phrase and the description that follows. Then paraphrase in simple Japanese: “X と比べて Y は正反対だった。”
## Practice questions for とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり
1
Describe a person who surprised you by acting completely different from how they usually are. Use とは打って変わって.
personal experience
2
Take a news headline about the weather or economy and rewrite the contrast sentence using とは打って変わって.
formality / writing
3
Write a sentence where the contrast is positive (e.g., a previously dull place that became lively). Then check if にひきかえ would change the nuance.
comparison
4
Find a Japanese news article or novel excerpt that uses とは打って変わって. Paraphrase the contrast in your own words.
authentic text
Keep your first sentences short — just a before-state noun, the phrase, and a new-state clause. Once the rhythm feels natural, add detail to show the emotional weight.
## Learning path for とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり
To master this grammar, work from form recognition to natural production, always emphasising the “complete flip” nuance.
1
Memorise the attachment rule: Noun + とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり. Test yourself by putting five different nouns before the phrase.
2
Listen for it in drama or news. Whenever you hear とは, check if a contrast follows. The pattern is often used in character narrations.
3
Compare it with にひきかえ. Write one scenario twice — once with each pattern — and explain why you chose one over the other based on the nuance (surprise vs complaint).
4
Produce your own diary entry. End your day by noting one thing that was completely different from the morning or from yesterday, using とは打って変わって.
5
Review the related とは patterns below. They’ll deepen your sense of how とは functions beyond simple contrast.
## Related grammar to review next
After you’ve internalised the dramatic contrast of とは打って変わって, reinforce your とは-awareness with these N1 patterns:
- [とは](/blog/n1-towa/) — the contrastive topic marker that often introduces the baseline for a claim or observation. Understanding this entry-level とは helps you see why the phrase requires a noun.
- [とはいえ](/blog/n1-towa-ie/) — “having said that; nevertheless.” Though it concedes a preceding statement, it shares the same とは foundation and often appears in formal argumentation.
- [とは比べものにならない](/blog/n1-towa-kurabemono-ni-naranai/) — “cannot compare to; is in a different league entirely.” This pattern also uses とは to set a comparison point, but with an emphasis on superiority/inferiority, not a reversal.
- [つつ](/blog/n1-tsu-tsu/) — “while; although.” Though not built on とは, つつ also often links two contrasting ideas. Seeing how a different conjunction handles contrast will sharpen your sense of when 打って変わって is the right tool.
Each of these patterns will appear alongside contrast or comparison, so they build a network of nuance you can draw on in both reading and writing.
## Learn とは打って変わって / とは打って変わり with Hane
If you want to review **とは打って変わって** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practise Japanese in short, focused sessions.
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