报复

• Pinyin: bào fù
• Hanzi breakdown: 报 = 扌 (hand) + 卩 (kneeling person) phonetic; 复 = 彳 (step) + 复 (phonetic)

Meaning

To retaliate; to take revenge; vengeance.

The act of inflicting harm in return for perceived injury or wrong. Often carries a negative connotation as it implies deliberate harm rather than justice. More calculated and sustained than 报仇, which is often more emotionally driven.

Examples

1. 他担心说出真相后会遭到报复。 He's worried about facing retaliation after speaking the truth.
2. 报复只会让仇恨升级，解决不了任何问题。 Revenge only escalates hatred — it doesn't solve anything.
3. 被解雇后，他开始策划对前老板的报复。 After being fired, he began plotting revenge against his former boss.

Usage Guide

Context: conflict, psychology, drama

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 不要试图报复，那只会让事情更糟。(Don't try to retaliate — it will only make things worse.)
• 她遭到了对方的报复。(She suffered retaliation from the other party.)

Don't Say

• 对善意的玩笑说'报复' (Don't use 报复 for playful teasing or jokes — it implies genuine malicious intent)

Origin & History

报 (to repay) + 复 (to return/again). To return harm for harm.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal