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反应 (fǎn yìng) — to react; to respond; (noun) reaction; response; (noun) chemical reaction

Definition

反应 covers both the act of reacting (verb) and the reaction itself (noun), including in chemistry. Use it for spontaneous or natural responses; 答 and 回复 are for answering questions, while 回应 and 响应 are more formal/public responses.

verb
to reactto respond
noun
reactionresponsechemical reaction
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 反应。
    Tā duì zhè ge qíng kuàng fǎn yìng dé bú cuò.
    He reacted well to this situation.
  • 反应？
    Dà jiā duì zhè ge wèn tí yǒu shén me fǎn yìng?
    What is everyone's reaction to this issue?
  • 反应。
    Wēn dù duì zhè ge fǎn yìng yǒu hěn dà yǐng xiǎng.
    Temperature has a big effect on this reaction.

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
应yìngrespond

反 gives the sense of back, and 应 of responding, so the idea is a response that comes back.

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Physics & Chemistry2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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