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反射 (fǎn shè) — (verb) to reflect (light, sound, or an image); (verb) to reflect (an abstract quality or situation; to mirror)

Definition

反射 covers both physical reflection (light, sound, images) and figurative mirroring of a quality or situation. 折射 is specifically light bending through a medium; 反映 leans toward reporting or figurative expression.

verb
to reflect (light, sound, or an image)to reflect (an abstract quality or situation; to mirror)

Examples

  • 反射。
    Hú miàn fǎn shè le shān de dào yǐng.
    The lake surface reflected the mountain's reflection.
  • 反射。
    Tā de xíng wéi fǎn shè le tā de nèi xīn.
    His behavior reflects his inner thoughts.
  • 反射。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng fǎn shè le shè huì wèn tí.
    This movie reflects social issues.

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fǎnback
射shèto shoot

反 means back and 射 means to shoot, giving a sense of sending back light or sound.

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.

In 射, the left part comes from 弓 (bow) and 矢 (arrow), and the right part comes from a hand drawing the bowstring.

Open 射 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Physics & Chemistry

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