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反应 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
反应fǎnyìngto reactHSK 5, vn, 11 strokes, rank #1126, Hard
反应fǎnyìngto respondHSK 5, vn, 11 strokes, rank #1126, Hard
反应fǎnyìngreactionHSK 5, vn, 11 strokes, rank #1126, Hard
反应fǎnyìngresponseHSK 5, vn, 11 strokes, rank #1126, Hard
反应fǎnyìngreplyHSK 5, vn, 11 strokes, rank #1126, Hard
反应fǎnyìngchemical reactionHSK 5, vn, 11 strokes, rank #1126, Hard
fǎnyìng(fan3ying4)fan ying T3
  1. 1to react
  2. 2to respond
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March 24, 2026

反应(反應)fǎnyìng(fan3ying4)

反应 (fǎnyìng) means to react or respond to a stimulus or situation. It is commonly used in both everyday conversations and scientific contexts, such as discussing reactions in chemistry or emotional responses to events. The term conveys a sense of action and change in response to an external factor.

Strokes11Frequency#1126DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 反应 is significant in discussions about emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships, where quick and appropriate reactions to social cues are highly valued. It can often be seen in the context of how one should react in social settings.

Memory tip

Think of 反 (fan) as a 'reverse' or 'opposite' action, and 应 (ying) like 'answering' or 'responding'. Imagine a person reacting to a surprise by flipping their expression, like flipping a switch in reverse, to show their feelings. This helps you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 反应

fǎnyìng(fan3ying4)
1to react
2to respond
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 反应

反应Simplified
反應Traditional
11Strokes
—Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#1126Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 反应

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Podcast: 反应

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AI study notes for 反应

Quick Contrast

反应 (fǎnyìng) vs 应对 (yìngduì) — use 反应 for spontaneous reactions to stimuli, while 应对 is more about handling or coping with situations.

Usage Notes

Be cautious about using 反应 in formal contexts where a more specific term might be appropriate, such as in scientific discussions. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar terms like 回应 (huíyìng), which means to reply or respond without the implication of an immediate reaction. Always use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 反应 connects with other words related to communication and interaction, like 交流 (jiāoliú, to communicate) and 响应 (xiǎngyìng, to respond). Focus on using it in sentences that describe reactions to various situations to reinforce its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 反应 with 应对 (yìngduì), which means to deal with or cope with a situation. For example, saying '我会应对他的反应' (wǒ huì yìngduì tā de fǎnyìng) implies handling their reaction, but it should be '我会反应' (wǒ huì fǎnyìng) if you mean to react yourself.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 反应

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Component characters

反fǎncontrary
HSK 54 strokes又
View full entry
应yìngto agree (to do sth)
HSK 77 strokes广
View full entry

How to say to react in Chinese

“to react” in Chinese is反应fǎnyìng

反应 (fǎnyìng) means to react or respond to a stimulus or situation. It is commonly used in both everyday conversations and scientific contexts, such as discussing reactions in chemistry or emotional responses to events. The term conveys a sense of action and change in response to an external factor.

When to use 反应

Be cautious about using 反应 in formal contexts where a more specific term might be appropriate, such as in scientific discussions. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar terms like 回应 (huíyìng), which means to reply or respond without the implication of an immediate reaction. Always use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.

反应 or something close to it

反应 (fǎnyìng) vs 应对 (yìngduì) — use 反应 for spontaneous reactions to stimuli, while 应对 is more about handling or coping with situations.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 反应 with 应对 (yìngduì), which means to deal with or cope with a situation. For example, saying '我会应对他的反应' (wǒ huì yìngduì tā de fǎnyìng) implies handling their reaction, but it should be '我会反应' (wǒ huì fǎnyìng) if you mean to react yourself.

Write 反应

反
应

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Grammar patterns of 反应

反应 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

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事情发展得太快,以至于大家都来不及____。

Things developed so fast that nobody could react in time.

Example sentences for 反应 (10)

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1
对于这个决定的反应非常不一致。

duìyú zhège juédìng de fǎnyìng fēicháng bù yízhì。

There has been a very mixed reaction to the decision.
2
当被别人弄疼时我们本能的反应是反击。

dāng bèi biérén nòng téng shí wǒmen běnnéng de fǎnyìng shì fǎnjī。

Our instinctive reaction when someone causes us pain is to strike back.
3
电梯开动了,接着剧烈震颤起来,然后就毫无反应了。

diàntī kāidòng le, jiēzhe jùliè zhèn chàn qǐlái, ránhòu jiù háowú fǎnyìng le。

The lift started off, juddered, and went out of action.
4
显然,英国的反应让这位大使很不安。

xiǎnrán, Yīng guó de fǎnyìng ràng zhè wèi dàshǐ hěn bù’ān。

The ambassador was clearly disconcerted by the British reaction.
5
我对这条消息的总体反应可以用“哼儿哈儿”来概括。

wǒ duì zhè tiáo xiāoxi de zǒngtǐ fǎnyìng kěyǐ yòng“ hēng ér Hā ér” lái gàikuò。

My general reaction to this news might be summed up as "ho-hum"
6
如果一班火车被取消,其连锁反应将是巨大的。

rúguǒ yī bān huǒchē bèi qǔxiāo, qí liánsuǒ fǎnyìng jiāng shì jùdà de。

The domino effect if one train is cancelled is enormous.
7
我认为这一反应有些过激。

wǒ rènwéi zhè yī fǎnyìng yǒuxiē guò jī。

I think the reaction has been a little overheated.
8
紧急冷却系统有可能失灵,核反应堆有可能发生堆芯熔毁。

jǐnjí lěngquè xìtǒng yǒu kěnéng shīlíng, hé fǎnyìng duī yǒu kěnéng fāshēng duī xīn róng huǐ。

Emergency cooling systems could fail and a reactor meltdown could occur.
9
在出生前3个月,胎儿就已经对声音有反应了。

zài chūshēng qián3 gè yuè, tāi’ér jiù yǐjīng duì shēngyīn yǒu fǎnyìng le。

Three months before birth babies are already responsive to sound.
10
警方称反应比预期好很多。

jǐng fāng chèn fǎnyìng bǐ yùqī hǎo hěn duō。

The police say the response has been far better than expected.

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Frequently asked questions about 反应

You can say '他的反应很快' (tā de fǎnyìng hěn kuài), meaning 'His reaction is very quick.'

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