countermovement
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countermovement
A social, cultural, or political movement that deliberately opposes a dominant trend or an established current.
Die Punk-Kultur war in den 70er Jahren eine Gegenbewegung zum Establishment.
Punk culture was a countermovement to the establishment in the 1970s.
countermovement
A physical movement in the opposite direction of a previous movement.
Beim Schießen verursacht der Rückstoß der Waffe eine starke Gegenbewegung.
When shooting, the recoil of the weapon causes a strong countermovement.
The word consists of the prefix 'Gegen-' (counter-, against) and the noun 'Bewegung' (movement). The meaning is therefore very logical: a movement directed against another one.
Als Gegenbewegung zum schnellen Leben suchen viele Menschen Entschleunigung.
As a countermovement to fast-paced life, many people seek to slow down.
The context makes clear which meaning is intended. If it is about society, art, or politics, it refers to a social current. If it is about physics, sports, or technology, it refers to a physical movement.
Die Minimalismus-Bewegung ist eine Gegenbewegung zur Konsumgesellschaft.
The minimalism movement is a countermovement to consumer society.
In the social or cultural sense, 'Gegenbewegung' (countermovement) is often used with the preposition 'zu' (to) to name the trend it is directed against.
Die Slow-Food-Bewegung entstand als Gegenbewegung zum Fast Food.
The Slow Food movement arose as a countermovement to fast food.
opposite direction
Both words can describe movement in the opposite direction from the previous direction. Die Gegenrichtung refers only to the orientation, while die Gegenbewegung emphasizes an actual movement in the opposite direction as a reaction to a previous movement. Gegenrichtung is appropriate for the direction of travel; Gegenbewegung is appropriate for the reaction.
Als der Ball nach links rollte, machte der Torwart eine schnelle Gegenbewegung.
When the ball rolled to the left, the goalkeeper made a quick countermovement.
Als der Bus an uns vorbeifuhr, gingen wir in die Gegenrichtung weiter.
When the bus passed us, we continued walking in the opposite direction.
