反派 (fǎn pài) — villain, antagonist (in drama, literature, etc.)

Definition

noun

villainantagonist (in drama, literature, etc.)

Measure word · 个

，反派。
Zài zhè bù diàn yǐng lǐ, fǎn pài shì yí gè fēi cháng yǒu mèi lì de jué sè.
In this film, the villain is a very charismatic character.
反派。
Zhè bù xiǎo shuō de fǎn pài xiě dé tè bié shēng dòng.
The villain of this novel is written especially vividly.
反派，。
Tā jīng cháng bàn yǎn fǎn pài, suǒ yǐ guān zhòng duì tā yìn xiàng hěn shēn.
He often plays villains, so the audience has a deep impression of him.

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fǎnnegative

派pàifaction/role

反 (negative) and 派 (faction/role) combine to mean a villain character.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

厂

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.

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

水水shuǐwater; river

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠂢

𠂢𠂢派pài

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

派 is built from 水 (water/river) and 𠂢. 𠂢 gives the sound, and 水 was added later to tell the character apart from the older form.

Appears in