相反

• Pinyin: xiāng fǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 相 = 木 (tree) + 目 (eye); 反 = 厂 (cliff) + 又 (hand)

Meaning

Opposite; contrary; on the contrary. Indicates that something is the direct opposite of what was stated.

相反 works as both an adjective (opposite direction/opinion) and a conjunction (on the contrary). 恰恰相反 means 'quite the opposite'. Frequently used in argumentation and comparison. 与此相反 means 'in contrast to this'.

Examples

1. 他们两个人的性格完全相反，一个外向，一个内向。 The personalities of those two people are completely opposite — one is outgoing, the other introverted.
2. 我以为天气会变好，结果相反，下起了大雨。 I thought the weather would improve, but the opposite happened — it started to pour.
3. 这两条路方向相反，走哪条都到不了火车站。 These two roads go in opposite directions — neither one leads to the train station.

Usage Guide

Context: discussion, comparison, everyday

Tone: analytical

Do Say

• 他的想法跟我恰恰相反。(His idea is the exact opposite of mine.)
• 这两个概念相反，不能混在一起用。(These two concepts are opposites and cannot be used interchangeably.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'相反'和'不同'混用 — '相反'表示直接对立，'不同'只表示差异 (Don't confuse 相反 with 不同 — 相反 implies direct opposition, while 不同 simply means different)

Origin & History

相 (mutual/each other) + 反 (reverse/opposite) — together meaning 'mutually reversed' or 'facing in opposite directions'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal