反 fǎn oppose
oppose; reverse; opposite; contrary; anti-; in reverse
How to remember 反: 𠂆 factory + 又 again = oppose. At the foot of the old factory chimney, the boy shakes his head again and tells the teacher he will oppose any plan to climb it.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
反 = 𠂆 factory + 又 again
- 𠂆 factory sound
- 又 again meaning
At the foot of the old factory chimney, the boy shakes his head again and tells the teacher he will oppose any plan to climb it.
How it came to be
The oldest form puts a hand under an angled stroke that gives the sound; the word first meant turning the palm over, then to return.
How it is used
- Reverse / opposite / anti-: 相反 (xiāngfǎn) opposite, 反对 (fǎnduì) oppose, 反应 (fǎnyìng) react/reaction.
- 反正 (fǎnzhèng) 'anyway/in any case': 反正我不去 (fǎnzhèng wǒ bú qù) I'm not going anyway.
- 反而 (fǎn'ér) 'on the contrary, instead'; distinguish 反应 (reaction) from 反映 (fǎnyìng, to reflect/report).
Characters built with 反
Words with 反
- 反对fǎnduìopposeHSK 4
- 相反xiāngfǎnoppositeHSK 4
- 反复fǎnfùrepeatedlyHSK 5
- 反应fǎnyìngto reactHSK 5
- 反映fǎnyìngto mirrorHSK 5
- 反正fǎnzhènganywayHSK 5
- 反而fǎn’éron the contraryHSK 5
- 违反wéifǎnto violate (a law)HSK 5
- 反思fǎnsīto think back over somethingHSK 6
- 反馈fǎnkuìto send back informationHSK 6
- 举一反三jǔyī-fǎnsānto raise one and infer threeHSK 7
- 反之fǎnzhīon the other hand...HSK 7
- 反倒fǎndàobut on the contraryHSK 7
- 反响fǎnxiǎngrepercussionsHSK 7
- 反差fǎnchācontrastHSK 7
- 反常fǎnchángunusualHSK 7
- 反弹fǎntánto bounceHSK 7
- 反感fǎngǎnto be disgusted withHSK 7
- 反省fǎnxǐngto reflect upon oneselfHSK 7
- 反问fǎnwènto ask (a question) in replyHSK 7
- 反面fǎnmiànreverse sideHSK 7
- 反击fǎnjīto strike backHSK 8
- 反射fǎnshèto reflectHSK 8
- 反抗fǎnkàngto resistHSK 8
- 反驳fǎnbóto retortHSK 8
Example sentences
- 完全相反 wánquán xiāngfǎnexactly the opposite
- NO表示反对。 NO biǎoshì fǎnduì.No means opposition.