反而 (fǎn'ér) — on the contrary; instead; unexpectedly

反而 (fǎn'ér)

反而 is an adverb that introduces a result contradicting what was expected, intended, or previously described, meaning "on the contrary," "instead," or "unexpectedly."

Meanings

1. [adverb] on the contrary; instead; unexpectedly (used when the actual result is the opposite of, or differs significantly from, the expected or desired outcome)

Usage Note

反而 is placed before the verb or adjective in the clause describing the unexpected result. It typically follows a clause establishing the expectation or condition. The key feature of 反而 is reversal: the result goes against what logic, effort, or intention would predict.

Structure: [expected cause/action] + 反而 + [opposite/unexpected result]

Contrast with 却 (què), which simply marks a contrast ("but / yet"), and 倒 (dào), which can also mark unexpected reversal. 反而 specifically stresses that the outcome is the reverse of what was expected.

• 我以为安慰他会有用，反而让他更难过了。 I thought comforting him would help; on the contrary, it made him more upset.

Example Sentences

他越解释，我反而越糊涂了。 Tā yuè jiěshì, wǒ fǎn'ér yuè hútu le. The more he explained, the more confused I became.

吃了药以后，他的病反而更严重了。 Chī le yào yǐhòu, tā de bìng fǎn'ér gèng yánzhòng le. After taking the medicine, his condition unexpectedly got worse.

我以为他会生气，他反而笑了起来。 Wǒ yǐwéi tā huì shēngqì, tā fǎn'ér xiào le qǐlái. I thought he would be angry, but on the contrary he burst out laughing.

减少睡眠时间反而让他感觉更累了。 Jiǎnshǎo shuìmián shíjiān fǎn'ér ràng tā gǎnjué gèng lèi le. Reducing sleep time unexpectedly made him feel even more tired.

Collocations

Memory Hook

反 means "to reverse / contrary" and 而 is a conjunction meaning "but / and." Together: "reversing and" — the action turns around and goes the opposite direction from what you expected.