diff --git a/ipa/dev/component-fixtures.mdx b/ipa/dev/component-fixtures.mdx
index 5c0c6bd..adee63a 100644
--- a/ipa/dev/component-fixtures.mdx
+++ b/ipa/dev/component-fixtures.mdx
@@ -119,6 +119,49 @@ name: list-resources
 
 </Example.Incorrect>
 
+## `<Example.Reason>`
+
+`<Example.Reason>` is the short prose explanation inside `<Example.Correct>` and
+`<Example.Incorrect>` blocks — why the pattern is correct or incorrect, the
+principle rather than a restatement of the guideline. It renders beneath the
+code block under the example's tinted hairline, with an inline "Why:" lead-in in
+the verdict color.
+
+### Inside a correct example
+
+<Example.Correct>
+
+```yaml
+PATCH /clusters/{clusterId}
+Content-Type: application/merge-patch+json
+```
+
+<Example.Reason>
+  Merge-patch is simpler for clients — send only the fields to change.
+</Example.Reason>
+
+</Example.Correct>
+
+### Inside an incorrect example, long-form
+
+<Example.Incorrect>
+
+```yaml
+components:
+  schemas:
+    Cluster:
+      properties:
+        _id: { type: string }
+        __v: { type: integer }
+```
+
+<Example.Reason>
+  Exposing `_id` and `__v` leaks MongoDB document internals into the API
+  surface, coupling clients to the storage layer.
+</Example.Reason>
+
+</Example.Incorrect>
+
 ## `<Workflow>`
 
 `<Workflow>` renders the manual evaluation steps of a guideline as a numbered
diff --git a/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.module.css b/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.module.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8abdfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.module.css
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/* The --ex-* tokens are defined on the Example variant root
+   (Example.module.css) and reach these rules by cascade. */
+.reason {
+  margin-top: 0.75rem;
+  padding-top: 0.6rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--ex-border);
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  line-height: 1.6;
+  color: var(--ifm-font-color-base);
+}
+
+.lead {
+  font-weight: 700;
+  color: var(--ex-header-color);
+}
+
+.reason code {
+  font-size: 88%;
+}
+
+/* MDX wraps the prose in <p>: the first paragraph flows inline after the
+   "Why:" lead, subsequent paragraphs break below. */
+.reason p {
+  display: inline;
+  margin: 0;
+}
+
+.reason p + p {
+  display: block;
+  margin-top: 0.5rem;
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.test.tsx b/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0aa4e27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { Example } from "./index";
+
+describe("<Example.Reason>", () => {
+  it("renders the explanation prose", () => {
+    render(
+      <Example.Reason>Merge-patch is simpler for clients.</Example.Reason>,
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText(/merge-patch is simpler for clients/i),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("renders a 'Why:' lead-in", () => {
+    render(<Example.Reason>Some explanation.</Example.Reason>);
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Why:")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("accepts paragraph children without invalid DOM nesting", () => {
+    // MDX wraps indented multi-line children in <p>, so the component's
+    // container must not itself be a <p> (React warns via console.error).
+    const error = vi.spyOn(console, "error").mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+    render(
+      <Example.Reason>
+        <p>First sentence of the reason.</p>
+      </Example.Reason>,
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText(/first sentence of the reason/i),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    error.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it("renders inside an example beneath its code block", () => {
+    render(
+      <Example.Correct>
+        <pre>
+          <code>name: list-resources</code>
+        </pre>
+        <Example.Reason>The name field is required.</Example.Reason>
+      </Example.Correct>,
+    );
+    const code = screen.getByText("name: list-resources");
+    const reason = screen.getByText(/the name field is required/i);
+
+    expect(
+      code.compareDocumentPosition(reason) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_FOLLOWING,
+    ).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.tsx b/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6ef699
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ipa/Example/Reason.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { type ReactElement, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import styles from "./Reason.module.css";
+
+interface ReasonProps {
+  children: ReactNode;
+}
+
+export function Reason({ children }: ReasonProps): ReactElement {
+  return (
+    <div className={styles.reason}>
+      <span className={styles.lead}>Why:</span> {children}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ipa/Example/index.tsx b/src/components/ipa/Example/index.tsx
index 30e9a10..b673621 100644
--- a/src/components/ipa/Example/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ipa/Example/index.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { type ReactElement, type ReactNode } from "react";
 import { Accordion } from "@site/src/components/ui";
 import { type ExampleType } from "./types";
+import { Reason } from "./Reason";
 import styles from "./Example.module.css";
 import clsx from "clsx";
 
@@ -47,4 +48,5 @@ IncorrectExample.displayName = "Incorrect";
 export const Example = Object.assign(ExampleBase, {
   Correct: CorrectExample,
   Incorrect: IncorrectExample,
+  Reason: Reason,
 });