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反面 (fǎn miàn) — (noun) reverse side, backside (of an object); (noun) the negative or opposite side (of a problem, argument, etc.); (adjective) negative, bad (e.g., 反面角色 'villain role')

Definition

反面 has two distinct uses: the physical reverse side of an object (like 背面), and the negative/opposite side of an issue. As an adjective meaning 'negative, bad', it pairs with nouns like 角色 ('villain') — closer to 负面 but more concrete.

noun
reverse sidebackside (of an object)the negative or opposite side (of a problem, argument, etc.)
adjective
negativebad (e.g., 反面角色 'villain role')
Easily confused

Examples

  • 反面。
    Qǐng bǎ zhè zhāng zhǐ fān dào fǎn miàn.
    Please turn this piece of paper over to the back side.
  • 反面。
    Rèn hé wèn tí dōu yǒu zhèng miàn hé fǎn miàn.
    Every problem has a positive side and a negative side.
  • 反面。
    Tā zài diàn yǐng lǐ yǎn le yí gè fǎn miàn jué sè.
    He played a villain role in the movie.

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
面miànside

反 means reverse and 面 means side, giving a sense of the reverse side.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

面 originally drew a man’s face, with one eye exaggerated; the horizontal stroke was added later.

Open 面 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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