反向 (fǎn xiàng) — opposite direction; reverse

Definition

noun

opposite directionreverse

反向。
Tā cháo fǎn xiàng zǒu qù.
He walked toward the opposite direction.
反向。
Qǐng nǐ kàn yí xià fǎn xiàng de chē.
Please look at the car in the opposite direction.
，反向。
Wǒ men zǒu cuò le fāng xiàng, yīng gāi xiàng fǎn xiàng zǒu.
We went the wrong way, so we should walk in the opposite direction.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

反fǎnopposite

反 means opposite or reverse and 向 means direction, giving an opposite direction.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

厂

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

反 uses 又 (hand) for meaning and 厂 for sound. Its original shape showed a hand turning its palm over, giving the sense of return or reverse.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

向 originally drew 宀 (house) with 口 to show an echo in a place; later it was used for direction.

Appears in