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恰恰相反 (qià qià xiāng fǎn) — just the opposite; on the contrary

Definition

A formal conjunction meaning 'just the opposite / on the contrary' — used to sharply contrast with the view just stated, stronger and more emphatic than the simpler 相反. Typically follows a comma after a stated expectation.

conjunction
just the oppositeon the contrary

Examples

  • ，恰恰相反，。
    Dà jiā dōu yǐ wéi tā huì tóng yì, dàn qià qià xiāng fǎn, tā jù jué le.
    Everyone thought he would agree, but on the contrary, he refused.
  • ，恰恰相反，。
    Wǒ yuán yǐ wéi zhè cì kǎo shì hěn nán, qià qià xiāng fǎn, tí mù hěn jiǎn dān.
    I originally thought this exam would be hard; on the contrary, the questions were very simple.
  • ，恰恰相反，。
    Hěn duō rén jué de yùn dòng hòu huì gèng lèi, qià qià xiāng fǎn, yùn dòng néng ràng rén gèng yǒu jīng shén.
    Many people think they'll be more tired after exercise; on the contrary, exercise can make people more energetic.

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.

恰恰exactly
恰qiàexactly恰qiàexactly
重叠Reduplication
相反opposite
相xiāngmutually反fǎnopposite
偏正Modifier + head

恰恰 means exactly and 相反 means opposite; together they express the opposite.

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé恰qià
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恰 has 忄 (a form of 心) on the left and 合 on the right, which is used for its sound.

Open 恰 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé恰qià
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恰 has 忄 (a form of 心) on the left and 合 on the right, which is used for its sound.

Open 恰 →

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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