TongTong
Sign in

反刍 (fǎn chú) — (of ruminants) to chew the cud; (figurative) to ruminate, to reflect on something

Definition

Literally 'to chew the cud' (as cows do). Figuratively, it means to turn something over in your mind again and again — to ruminate or reflect deeply on a past event or question.

verb
(of ruminants) to chew the cud(figurative) to ruminateto reflect on something

Examples

  • 反刍。
    Niú zài cǎo dì shàng fǎn chú.
    The cow is chewing cud on the grass.
  • 反刍。
    Tā fǎn fù fǎn chú nà ge wèn tí.
    He repeatedly ruminated over that issue.
  • 反刍。
    Wǒ men xū yào fǎn chú zhè cì jīng lì.
    We need to reflect on this experience.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

反fǎnreturn
刍chúgrass

反 means to return, and 刍 means grass, so the word describes returning grass to chew.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 芻; 刍 is its simplified writing.

  • 勹勹bāohand
  • 屮屮chègrass

The traditional form 芻 pairs 勹 (a hand) with 屮 (grass), showing a hand plucking grass. The simplified 刍 is a later shorthand, so its parts do not carry that story.

Appears in
Animals & MammalsThinking & Cognition

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