Definition
反 (fǎn) has three main uses at HSK5: adjective 'opposite/reverse', verb 'oppose/rebel', and adverb 'on the contrary' (often written as 反而). As an adverb, it is interchangeable with 反而 (fǎn ér) but not with 相反 (xiāng fǎn), which is an adjective/conjunction meaning 'opposite' or 'on the contrary' in a different syntactic role.
adjective
(adjective / adverb) oppositecontraryin reverse
verb
to opposeto rebel against
adverb
on the contraryinstead (often written as 反而)
Easily confused
- 双shuānglook-alike(classifier) pair (for things that come in twos: shoes, socks, hands, etc.)
- 犯fànsound-aliketo commit (a crime, offense, or mistake)
- 支zhīlook-alikeclassifier for long, thin objects (pens, guns), army divisions, and songs/compositions
- 饭fànsound-alikecooked rice
- 叉chālook-alike(noun) fork, pitchfork, forked tool
- 烦fánsound-alike(adjective) annoyed, vexed; troublesome, tedious (of tasks/situations)
- 权quánlook-alikepower; authority
- 翻fānsound-aliketo turn over, to flip
- 肾shènlook-alikekidney
- 番fānsound-alike(classifier) for occurrences of an event, action, or speech utterance, often implying a whole round or period
Examples
- 反。Fāngxiàng fǎn le.The direction is opposite.
- 。Wǒmen fǎn duì zhànzhēng.We oppose war.
- ，。Tīng le wǒ de huà, tā fǎn ér bù gāoxìng le.After hearing my words, he became unhappy instead.
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