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反动 (fǎn dòng) — (politics) reactionary; (slang, jocular) bad, mean

Definition

Literally 'backward-moving,' it is the standard formal/political term for 'reactionary' (opposing progress or revolution). In casual speech it jokily means 'mean' or 'outrageous.'

adjective
(politics) reactionary(slang, jocular) badmean

Examples

  • 反动。
    Lì shǐ shàng nà xiē fǎn dòng shì lì zuì zhōng dōu bèi rén mín tuī fān le.
    History shows that those reactionary forces were ultimately overthrown by the people.
  • 反动。
    Zhè zhǒng fǎn dòng sī xiǎng yǐ jīng guò shí le.
    This kind of reactionary ideology is outdated.
  • ，反动！
    Nǐ jū rán bù gěi wǒ chī yì kǒu, zhēn shì tài fǎn dòng le!
    You won't even let me have a bite — you're so mean!

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.

反fǎnagainst
动dòngmovement

反 means “against” and 动 means “movement”, so 反动 describes movement that is against progress.

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 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6Government & Politics

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