反面教材 (fǎn miàn jiào cái) — negative example; cautionary tale

Definition

A 'negative example' used as a teaching tool — a case of failure or bad behavior that warns people what NOT to do.

noun
negative examplecautionary tale

Examples

  • 反面教材。
    Zhè ge àn jiàn chéng le fǎ lǜ kè de fǎn miàn jiào cái.
    This case became a negative example for the law class.
  • 反面教材，。
    Tā de shī bài jīng lì shì yí gè fǎn miàn jiào cái, tí xǐng wǒ men bú yào fàn tóng yàng de cuò wù.
    His failure experience is a cautionary tale, reminding us not to make the same mistakes.
  • 反面教材，。
    Gōng sī bǎ nà ge xiàng mù dàng zuò fǎn miàn jiào cái, yòng lái jiào yù xīn yuán gōng.
    The company treats that project as a negative example to educate new employees.

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.

反面reverse side
反fǎnreverse面miànside
偏正Modifier + head
教材teaching material
教jiàoteach材cáimaterial
偏正Modifier + head

A 教材 shown from the 反面, a negative example.

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 →

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
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
才
才cái材cái
Same sound today

材 combines 木, wood, with 才, cái, as its sound part.

Open 材 →

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