翻 (fān) — to turn over, to flip; to rummage through, to search; to translate
Definition
翻 (fān) is a versatile verb meaning 'to flip/turn over', 'to rummage through', or 'to translate'. For the translation sense specifically, use 翻译 (fān yì) as the everyday word — 翻 alone for translating is brief/colloquial.
verb
to turn overto flipto rummage throughto searchto translate
Examples
- 翻。Tā bǎ shū fān dào zuì hòu yí yè.He turned the book to the last page.
- 翻，。Tā zài chōu ti lǐ fān le bàn tiān, zhōng yú zhǎo dào le yào shi.She rummaged through the drawer for a long time and finally found the keys.
- 翻。Zhè piān wén zhāng xū yào fān chéng yīng wén.This article needs to be translated into English.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
翻 pairs 羽 (wings) with 番, which gives the sound. The shape shows something fluttering.
Appears in
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