오히려
o-hi-ryeo
오히려 spins the arrow the other way
The picture An arrow heading downward bends partway along and runs back up instead. 오히려 bends against your expectation; 역시 runs straight along with it.
Where the picture shows up in 오히려
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the cure makes it worse
약을 먹었는데 오히려 더 아파요.
ya-geul meo-geon-neun-de o-hi-ryeo deo a-pa-yo
I took the medicine and it actually hurts more.
After the pill goes down, the pain bar does not drop but climbs one notch higher.
Something you must be able to tell a doctor.
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the slow way is faster
이 시간엔 지하철이 오히려 빨라요.
i si-ga-nen ji-ha-cheo-ri o-hi-ryeo ppal-la-yo
At this hour the subway is actually faster.
Under a road jammed solid with cars, the train slips past them first.
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thanks handed back
제가 오히려 감사합니다.
je-ga o-hi-ryeo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
No, thank you.
You catch the greeting that came across and pass it politely straight back to them.
A polite return when someone thanks you first.
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fixing it makes it worse
창문을 열었더니 오히려 시끄러워요.
chang-mu-neul yeo-reot-deo-ni o-hi-ryeo si-kkeu-reo-wo-yo
I opened the window and now it's actually noisier.
The window opened for fresh air lets the street noise pour in instead.
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the costly one pays off
비싼 게 오히려 오래 써요.
bi-ssan ge o-hi-ryeo o-rae sseo-yo
The expensive one actually lasts longer.
A scale tipped toward the cheaper side slowly swings over to the other side as time passes.
All of it in one picture
오히려 turns the arrow around. Pain that climbs where it should have dropped is 오히려 worse; a train slipping past a jammed road is 오히려 faster. A greeting handed straight back means 오히려 the thanks is yours, a window opened for air letting noise in means things got 오히려 worse, a scale swinging back means the expensive one is 오히려 better. Whatever the use, the thing that bends is always the same: your expectation.