反而 fǎn’ér Grammar

Grammar Point:
反而 fǎn’ér is an adverb that introduces an action or a situation that is contrary to the expectations of the speaker. It is often translated as “on the contrary,” “instead,” or “but rather.”

Structure

Clause A + S + 反而 + Clause B

The first clause (Clause A) presents an expectation or assumption, while the second clause (Clause B) presents a contrasting result or outcome that goes against that expectation or assumption.

Since 反而 fǎn’ér is not a conjunction, it cannot simply link two sentences. Instead, you need to put it after the subject (if there is one) and before the verb in the second clause.

我wǒ以為yǐwéi他tā會huì生氣shēngqì， 結果jiéguǒ他tā反而fǎn‘ér很hěn開心kāixīn我wǒ以为yǐwéi他tā会huì生气shēngqì， 结果jiéguǒ他tā反而fǎn’ér很hěn开心kāixīn
I thought he would be angry, but instead he was very happy.

我wǒ運動yùndòng後hòu沒有méiyǒu覺得juéde比較bǐjiào有yǒu精神jīngshén， 反而fǎn’ér累lèi到dào只zhǐ想xiǎng睡覺shuìjiào我wǒ运动yùndòng后hòu没有méiyǒu觉得juéde比较bǐjiào有yǒu精神jīngshén， 反而fǎn‘ér累lèi到dào只zhǐ想xiǎng睡觉shuìjiào
I do not feel more energetic after exercise, but instead I am so tired that I just want to sleep.

朋友péngyǒu下定決心xiàdìngjuéxīn要yào減肥jiǎnféi， 可是kěshì三sān個ge月yuè後hòu反而fǎn’ér胖pàng了le5 公斤gōngjīn朋友péngyou下定决心xiàdìngjuéxīn要yào减肥jiǎnféi， 可是kěshì三sān个ge月yuè后hòu反而fǎn‘ér胖pàng了le5 公斤gōngjīn
My friend was determined to lose weight, but three months later she gained 5 kg.

沒想到méixiǎngdào交jiāo了le女朋友nǚpéngyǒu後hòu， 他的tāde成績chéngjī反而fǎn’ér更gèng好hǎo了le没想到méixiǎngdào交jiāo了le女朋友nǚpéngyou后hòu， 他的tāde成绩chéngjì反而fǎn‘ér更gèng好hǎo了le
I didn’t expect his grades to get better after he got a girlfriend.

Common Mistakes

沒想到méixiǎngdào交jiāo了le女朋友nǚpéngyǒu後hòu， 反而fǎn’ér他的tāde成績chéngjī更gèng好hǎo了le没想到méixiǎngdào交jiāo了le女朋友nǚpéngyou后hòu， 反而fǎn‘ér他的tāde成绩chéngjì更gèng好hǎo了le ❌
(反而 fǎn’ér needs to go after the subject…However, some native speakers do say it in a different order.)

S + 不但 + 不 or 沒 ⋯⋯，反而 unexpected outcome

This structure is also commonly used in Chinese grammar to express a contrastive relationship between two clauses. It is often translated as “not only…but also” or “not only…but instead. The 不但 búdàn is a conjunction that introduce the first clause and indicate that something unexpected happened in the second clause.

他tā不但búdàn沒méi做zuò完wán作業zuòyè， 反而fǎn‘ér玩wán了le一個yíge晚上wǎnshàng的de遊戲yóuxì他tā不但búdàn没méi做zuò完wán作业zuòyè， 反而fǎn’ér玩wán了le一个yíge晚上wǎnshang的de游戏yóuxì
Not only did he not finish his homework, but he also played games all night.

我wǒ幫bāng了le他tā， 他tā不但búdàn沒méi說shuō謝謝xièxie， 反而fǎn‘ér還hái對duì我wǒ生氣shēngqì我wǒ帮bāng了le他tā， 他tā不但búdàn没méi说shuō谢谢xièxie， 反而fǎn；ér还hái对duì我wǒ生气shēngqì
I helped him. He not only did not say thank you, but also angry with me.

不僅不仅 bùjǐn is another formal conjunction that is interchangeable with 不但 búdàn.

王wáng先生xiānshēng不僅bùjǐn不bù還huán我wǒ之前zhīqián借jiè的de錢qián， 反而fǎn‘ér想xiǎng跟gēn我wǒ借jiè更gèng多duō錢qián王wáng先生xiānsheng不仅bùjǐn不bù还huán我wǒ之前zhīqián借jiè的de钱qián， 反而fǎn’ér想xiǎng跟gēn我wǒ借jiè更gèng多duō钱qián
Mr. Wang not only did not return the money I lent before, but also wanted to borrow more money from me.

發生fāshēng問題wèntí時shí， 政府zhèngfǔ不僅bùjǐn不bù想辦法xiǎngbànfǎ解決jiějué， 反而fǎn’ér還hái怪guài人民rénmín发生fāshēng问题wèntí时shí， 政府zhèngfǔ不仅bùjǐn不bù想办法xiǎngbànfǎ解决jiějué， 反而fǎn‘ér还hái怪guài人民rénmín
When problems occur, the government not only does not want to solve them, but also blames the people.

• To See More Different Functions About 而 ér