I know that Japanese allows this: there are words in reverse order where the placement of 2 kanji can be “flipped” within the same word while retaining a related definition, i.e. 栄光 (glory) & 光栄 (honor), more examples range from:
- 別離 (parting) & 離別 (separation)
- 関連 (connection) & 連関 (relation)
- 礼儀 (manners) & 儀礼 (ettiquette)
- 陸上 (landing) & 上陸 (ground)
- 発散 (emission) & 散発 (sporadic)
- 進行 (advance) & 行進 (parade)
- 議会 (assembly) & 会議 (meeting)
- 木材 (lumber) & 材木 (timber)
- 王国 (kingdom) & 国王 (monarch)
- 火花 (spark) & 花火 (fireworks)
- 明言 (statement) & 言明 (assertion)
- 論評 (criticism) & 評論 (critique)
You get the picture, but can you do the same thing with the English language for example? As well as other European languages in general?


The Japanese examples that OP gave aren’t much different. 花火 is literally flower-fire and 火花 is fire-flower. You switch them around, one part takes precedence while the other gets a supporting role in the compound.