Käänkään

Käänkään is a Finnish word that generally translates to "backwards," "in reverse," or "upside down." Its usage can be literal, referring to a physical direction or order, or figurative, indicating a reversal of a situation or a deviation from the expected.

In a literal sense, "käänkön" can describe an object being placed or moving in the opposite direction of the norm. For example, one might say a car is driving "käänkään" if it is going the wrong way down a street. Similarly, "käänkään" can refer to a change in order, such as when pages of a book are read in reverse.

Figuratively, "käänkään" implies a disruption of the usual state of affairs. A project that is going "käänkään" is experiencing significant problems or has taken a negative turn. It can also describe a situation that has become chaotic or disordered. The term often carries a sense of unexpectedness and a departure from what was intended or anticipated. The opposite of "käänkään" is typically "eteenpäin" (forward) or "oikein päin" (the right way up).