反观 (fǎn guān) — to look back from another angle; to reflect by contrast

Definition

反观 (fǎn guān) means 'to look at something by contrast' — you turn your gaze to another side (often oneself or reality) to highlight a difference. More rhetorical and written than a plain 回头看.

verb
to look back from another angleto reflect by contrast

Examples

  • 反观，。
    fǎn guān Lì shǐ, wǒ men néng xué dào hěn duō jiào xùn.
    Looking back at history, we can learn many lessons.
  • 反观，。
    fǎn guān Zì shēn, tā fā xiàn le zì jǐ de bù zú.
    Turning to reflect on himself, he discovered his own shortcomings.
  • 反观，。
    fǎn guān Xiàn shí, zhè zhǒng guān diǎn bìng bù chéng lì.
    Looking at reality from the other side, this view does not hold up.

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fǎnreverse
观guānobserve

The sense of reverse in 反 and observe in 观 give the idea of looking 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 觀; 观 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn觀guān
Same sound today

The traditional form 觀 uses 見 (see) for meaning and 雚 for sound.

Open 观 →

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