How to Write 反 (fǎn) — Meaning “Opposite; reverse; anti-”

Imagine a hand (又) pushing hard against a steep cliff (厂) to change direction. This picture of force going opposite helps you recall that 反 means 'reverse' or 'opposite'.

Write the strokes in this order: left-falling, left-falling, horizontal-left-falling, right-falling. Make sure the first two strokes are short and slanted, and the last stroke (捺) is long and angled to balance the character. A common mistake is making the second stroke too vertical, which ruins the shape.

又 is just the hand radical without the cliff, and it is used as a component in many characters. 叉 has a dot in the middle of the hand shape and means 'fork' or 'cross'. In contrast, 反 has a clear 厂 top and no dot, and its meaning involves opposition.

反 often appears in words like 反对 (oppose), 反正 (anyway), and 反应 (reaction). It signals a reversal or an opposite position, and you will commonly see it in political or everyday contexts, such as in 反贪 (anti-corruption) campaigns.

Common words containing 反 include: 反对 (fǎn duì) — To oppose; to object; 反正 (fǎn zhèng) — Anyway; in any case; 反应 (fǎn yìng) — Reaction; response.