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唱反调 (chàng fǎn diào) — to deliberately take an opposing view; to sing a different tune

Definition

A set phrase meaning to deliberately take the opposite view from everyone else, often to be contrary or provocative. Carries a negative sense — the person is going against the group, not just disagreeing.

verb
to deliberately take an opposing viewto sing a different tune

Examples

  • 唱反调。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan zài tǎo lùn zhōng chàng fǎn diào.
    He always likes to take an opposing view in discussions.
  • ，唱反调。
    Bié rén dōu zàn chéng, zhǐ yǒu tā yí gè rén chàng fǎn diào.
    Everyone else agreed — only she was the one to sing a different tune.
  • ，。
    Tā zài huì yì shàng chàng le yí cì fǎn diào, jié guǒ dà jiā dōu bù gāo xìng.
    He aired an opposing view once at the meeting, and as a result everyone was unhappy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

唱chàngsing
反调opposing tune
反fǎnopposite调tiáotune
偏正Modifier + head

唱 gives singing and 反调 an opposing tune; 唱反调 means taking an opposing view.

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
昌
昌chāng唱chàng
Same sound today

The 口 part points to the mouth, while 昌 shows how the character is pronounced.

Open 唱 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →
Appears in
Conflict & AgreementIdioms & Set Phrases

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