适得其反
shì dé qí fǎn
to backfire; to have the opposite effect
Character by character
适shì
just
just
得dé
get
get
其qí
its
its
反fǎn
opposite
opposite
Example
减肥的时候完全不吃饭，往往会适得其反。
Giving up food altogether when you are trying to lose weight often backfires.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
适 means “precisely”: you get exactly the opposite of what you wanted. It follows the action that misfires and usually ends the clause: 结果适得其反, 只会适得其反.
Learn this in Lesson 48 · HSK 5–6: 鸡娃与双减 (Education pressure and the tutoring ban)
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.
Open the lesson →