Definition
反倒 (fǎn dào) is an adverb meaning 'on the contrary, contrary to expectations', used when the actual result is opposite to what was expected. It is very similar to 反而 (fǎn ér) and often interchangeable, but 反倒 feels slightly more colloquial and emphatic in spoken Chinese. Unlike the conjunction 相反 (xiāng fǎn) or the adverb 倒是 (dào shì), 反倒 strictly marks a reversal of expectation and is more emphatic.
adverb
but on the contraryinsteadcontrary to expectations
Examples
- ，反倒。Tā búdàn méi shēngqì, fǎn dào gāoxìng de xiào le.Not only was he not angry, but on the contrary he laughed happily.
- ，反倒。Wǒ quàn tā xiūxi, tā fǎn dào gèng máng le.I advised him to rest, but instead he got even busier.
- ，反倒。Dàjiā dōu yǐwéi huì xià yǔ, jiéguǒ fǎn dào chū le dà tàiyáng.Everyone thought it would rain, but on the contrary the sun came out.
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