TongTong
Sign in

反手 (fǎn shǒu) — (sports) backhand (stroke or grip); (martial arts) backhand strike; counterattack; (figurative, in 反手之劳) something very easy to do

Definition

Literally 'reverse hand,' used for a backhand stroke or grip in sports and a backhand strike/counter in martial arts. In the set phrase 反手之劳, it means a task so easy it takes almost no effort.

noun
(sports) backhand (stroke or grip)(martial arts) backhand strikecounterattack(figurative, in 反手之劳) something very easy to do

Examples

  • 反手。
    Tā de fǎn shǒu dǎ dé fēi cháng hǎo.
    His backhand is very good.
  • 反手。
    Tā yì fǎn shǒu jiù bǎ duì shǒu dǎ dǎo le.
    He knocked out his opponent with a single backhand strike.
  • 反手。
    Zhè jiàn shì duì tā lái shuō bú guò shì fǎn shǒu zhī láo.
    This matter is just a piece of cake for him.

Origin

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fǎnreverse
手shǒuhand

反 means reverse, and 手 means hand, giving a reversed-hand action.

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
厂
厂chǎng反fǎn
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.

Open 反 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →
Appears in
Sports & Athletics

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.