Uno is a very popular card game that has been played by countless people since its creation. But as its popularity has grown, some aspects of the game have taken on lives of their own.
Namely, the Uno “reverse card” has become a common meme on the Internet. Have you switched up your real life play in the middle of the game? Maybe you agreed to something and decide to back out suddenly? If so, then you have played an Uno reverse card in real life. But what does it mean if someone sends you a Uno reverse card after you have asked them to do something?
This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
If someone sends you a Uno reverse card after you have asked them to do something, that is their way of saying “no, you”. As in, I’m not going to do it, but by sending you an image of this card, now YOU have to do it. In short, it means a reversal of something that was previously agreed to. It also means that the tables have been turned.
This phrase is typically used by sending or showing someone an image of a Uno reverse card, rather than saying “Uno reverse card”. This is most commonly how it is seen on the Internet, but you can still say “Uno reverse card” if you do not have the card or a picture of it. More information can be found in the video (here).
Example Usage
“You want me to do the dishes? Uno reverse card.”
“No way am I giving the dog his medicine. Uno reverse card.”
“I’m not going outside to see what that sound was. Uno reverse card.”
“You want me to pay the bill? Uno reverse card.”
Origin
The card game Uno has been around since 1971. The inventor actually created the game after getting into an argument with his son over the rules of another popular game, Crazy Eights. But the phrase “uno reverse card”, as it is now used as a meme, was not popularized until 2018.
The phrase “no u” had already been around on the Internet before the uno reverse card became attached to it. It was in 2018 that the link between “no u” and “uno reverse card” was made, as “no u” was seen as an anagram for “Uno” anyway. The two phrases have become synonymous ever since. The meme and the phrase itself have become popular on sites like Reddit, where images of memes are shared on a daily basis. Jokes depicting a person who is about to die giving the Grim Reaper an Uno reverse card, or somebody who is sick giving a doctor the uno reverse card, are common uses of this meme.
Phrases Similar to Uno Reverse Card
- No you do it.
- I don’t want to.
- Swapsies
- Flip it and reverse it
Phrases Opposite to Uno Reverse Card
- Sure I’ll do it.
- No, I don’t mind.
- Yeah, of course I will.
What is the Correct Saying?
- “Uno reverse card” essentially translates to “no, you”.
Ways People May Incorrectly Say Uno Reverse Card
You use “uno reverse card” when someone is telling you to do something that you do not want to do, so you make them do it instead. In this way, attempting to use this phrase to mean anything other than that would be incorrect. Most notably, if someone asks you to do something, and you say “uno reverse card” when you really mean to agree to do it, that would be incorrect. Some ways that “uno reverse card” is used incorrectly are:
- Sure, I’ll drive us to work today. Uno reverse card.
- Yeah, I don’t mind taking out the trash. Uno reverse card.
- Of course I’ll make dinner tonight. Uno reverse card.
- Yeah, I can go to the grocery store. Uno reverse card.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Uno Reverse Card
- You want me to catch the frog? No way! Uno reverse card.
- I’m not driving eight hours to Atlanta. Uno reverse card.
- I’m not moving the couch. Uno reverse card.
- I don’t want to pick Amy up from school. Uno reverse card.