反而 · 相反
反而: instead, against what you would expect · 相反: opposite; on the contrary
Structure
A ，（主语） 反而 B · 相反 ，…… · 跟 A 相反
What it means
反而 means “instead, if anything”: B goes against what A made you expect. 相反 means “opposite”; at the start of a sentence, “on the contrary”.
How it is built
A，(subject) + 反而 + verb／adjective: 吃了药，他的病反而更重了 (after taking the medicine he actually got worse). 跟 A 相反 = “the opposite of A”: 结果跟我们想的相反.
When to use it
Use 反而 only for an unexpected reversal: 抽烟不能让人放松，反而会让人更紧张. 相反 is a word in its own right: 跟 A 相反 describes something, and 相反， opens a sentence.
Watch out
反而 is an adverb, so it sits after the subject: ✗ 反而他更累了。 ✓ 他反而更累了。 Don’t pair 跟 with 反而: ✗ 跟我们想的反而 ✓ 跟我们想的相反.
Examples
吃了药，他的病反而更重了。
After taking the medicine, he actually got worse.
抽烟不能让人放松，反而会让人更紧张。
Smoking doesn’t relax you; if anything, it makes you more tense.
结果跟我们想的相反。
The result was the opposite of what we expected.
他没有生气，相反，他笑了。
He didn’t get angry. On the contrary, he laughed.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 10: 别再抽烟了 (Giving up smoking)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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