反 meaning and stroke order
Contrary; in reverse; inside out or upside down
How to write 反, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 反
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- contrary
- in reverse
- inside out or upside down
- to reverse
- to return
- to oppose
How 反 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 又 held up against a cliff 厂.
Radical: 又 (and), shared by 21 characters on this site.
How to remember 反
Picture a hand 又 pushing back against a cliff 厂. The cliff will not move, so the push turns back on you, which is the idea of reverse and opposite.
反 (fǎn) rarely stands alone in everyday speech and mostly appears in words like 反对 (fǎnduì, to oppose), 相反 (xiāngfǎn, opposite) and 反正 (fǎnzhèng, anyway). It also works as a prefix meaning anti-. Example: 我反对这个计划。(Wǒ fǎnduì zhège jìhuà.) I am against this plan.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 反应 (fǎnyìng, to react) and 反映 (fǎnyìng, to reflect or mirror) because they sound identical. Use 反应 for a response to something and 反映 for showing or reporting a situation.
Common words with 反
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 反正 | fǎnzhèng | anyway; in any case | HSK 3 |
| 反对 | fǎnduì | to oppose; to be against; to object to | HSK 3 |
| 反应 | fǎnyìng | to react; to respond | HSK 3 |
| 反复 | fǎnfù | repeatedly; over and over | HSK 3 |
| 相反 | xiāngfǎn | opposite; contrary | HSK 4 |
| 反而 | fǎn'ér | on the contrary; instead | HSK 4 |
| 反映 | fǎnyìng | to mirror; to reflect | HSK 4 |
| 违反 | wéifǎn | to violate (a law) | HSK 5 |
| 反抗 | fǎnkàng | to resist; to rebel | HSK 6 |
| 反响 | fǎnxiǎng | repercussions; reaction | HSK 6 |
| 反问 | fǎnwèn | to ask (a question) in reply; to answer a question with a question | HSK 6 |
| 反击 | fǎnjī | to strike back; to beat back; to counterattack | HSK 7-9 |
| 反常 | fǎncháng | unusual; abnormal | HSK 7-9 |
| 反省 | fǎnxǐng | to reflect upon oneself; to examine one's conscience | HSK 7-9 |
反 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 反
Learning 反 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 反
How many strokes are in 反?
反 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 反 mean?
反 (fǎn) means contrary; in reverse; inside out or upside down. A common word with it is 反正 (fǎnzhèng), meaning "anyway; in any case".
How do you pronounce 反?
反 is pronounced fǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 反?
The radical of 反 is 又, which carries the idea of "and". Dictionaries list 反 under this radical.
Is 反 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 反 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 反而 and 相反?
反而 (fǎn'ér) is an adverb meaning instead, used when a result goes against what you expected: 吃了药，他反而更不舒服了 (after taking medicine he felt worse instead). 相反 (xiāngfǎn) describes two things being opposite, or starts a sentence as on the contrary.
How do you say something is inside out or upside down with 反?
Put 反 after a verb as a result: 衣服穿反了 (yīfu chuān fǎn le) means the clothes are on inside out or backwards. You can also say 拿反了 (ná fǎn le) for holding something upside down.