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造反 (zào fǎn) — to rebel, to revolt (against a government or authority); (colloquial) to kick up a fuss, to cause trouble

Definition

Literally 'make rebellion,' used for organized revolts against authority (peasants, forces). In casual speech, it softens to mean a child rebelling or kicking up a fuss.

verb
to rebelto revolt (against a government or authority)(colloquial) to kick up a fussto cause trouble

Examples

  • 造反。
    Lì shǐ shàng duō cì nóng mín zào fǎn dōu shì yīn wèi jī huang hé yā pò.
    In history, many peasant revolts were caused by famine and oppression.
  • 造反，。
    Zhè hái zi zǒng shì gēn fù mǔ zào fǎn, tài bù tīng huà le.
    This child always rebels against his parents — he's too disobedient.
  • 造反。
    Tā men jì huà lián hé gè fāng shì lì yì qǐ zào fǎn.
    They plan to unite various forces and revolt together.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

造zàomake
反fǎnrebellion

造 (make) + 反 (rebellion) gives the sense of starting a revolt.

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
辵辵chuòto walk
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
屮
屮chè造zào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Its origin is unclear, but early forms of 造 include 辵 (to walk) and 口, with 屮 as a sound part, and mean go or arrive.

Open 造 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6Conflict & AgreementGovernment & Politics

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