“Anyway” in Chinese – fǎnzhèng

Grammar Point:
The Chinese word 反正 fǎnzhèng is an adverb that is commonly used in spoken language and informal writing. It is similar to the English word “anyway,” but not exactly the same.

Structure

反正 + Reason

The difference between English and Chinese is that 反正 fǎnzhèng always needs a reason with it, unlike English where you can simply use ‘anyway’ alone.

反正fǎnzhèng他tā一定yídìng會huì遲到chídào一小時yìxiǎoshí以上yǐshàng， 我們wǒmen先xiān吃chī吧ba！ 反正fǎnzhèng他tā一定yídìng会huì迟到chídào一小时yìxiǎoshí以上yǐshàng， 我们wǒmen先xiān吃chī吧ba！
Anyway, he will definitely be more than an hour late. Let’s eat first!

你nǐ今天jīntiān不去búqù也yě沒關係méiguānxī， 反正fǎnzhèng我們wǒmen還hái有yǒu時間shíjiān你nǐ今天jīntiān不去búqù也yě没关系méiguānxi， 反正fǎnzhèng我们wǒmen还hái有yǒu时间shíjiān
It’s okay if you don’t go today; we still have time anyway.

反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ沒辦法méibànfǎ， 你nǐ有yǒu辦法bànfǎ的話dehuà你nǐ來lái反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ没办法méibànfǎ， 你nǐ有yǒu办法bànfǎ的话dehuà你nǐ来lái
Anyway, I can’t do it. If you can, then you do it.

飯fàn沒了méile就jiù算了suànle， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ剛好gānghǎo可以kěyǐ減肥jiǎnféi饭fàn没了méile就jiù算了suànle， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ刚好gānghǎo可以kěyǐ减肥jiǎnféi
It’s fine if there’s no food; I need to diet anyway.

你nǐ別bié買mǎi月餅yuèbǐng了le， 反正fǎnzhèng中秋節zhōngqiūjié時shí你nǐ一定yídìng會huì收到shōudào一堆yìduī你nǐ别bié买mǎi月饼yuèbǐng了le， 反正fǎnzhèng中秋节zhōngqiūjié时shí你nǐ一定yídìng会huì收到shōudào一堆yìduī
Don’t buy mooncakes; you’ll definitely receive a bunch during the Mid-Autumn Festival anyway.

吃不完chībùwán也yě沒關係méiguānxī， 反正fǎnzhèng這些zhèxiē菜cài可以kěyǐ打包dǎbāo回家huíjiā吃不完chībuwán也yě没关系méiguānxi， 反正fǎnzhèng这些zhèxiē菜cài可以kěyǐ打包dǎbāo回家huíjiā
It’s okay if we can’t finish it; we can always take these dishes home anyway.

FYI
In Taiwan, most restaurants are cool with packing up your leftovers. It doesn’t matter if you’re munching on hotpot, chowing down on breakfast, sipping coffee, or digging into a juicy steak – they’ve got your back. The deal is, Taiwan wants to cut down on food waste. So, whether you’ve got half a cup of coffee left or just one last bite of that steak, just ask, and they’ll hook you up with a to-go container. And some hotpot joints even toss in a few extra goodies when they’re packing it up for you. 😅

No matter + 反正 + opinion

In this function, 反正 fǎnzhèng is often combine with phrases like “no matter”, such as 不管 bùguǎn, 無論无论 wúlùn, or 不論论 búlùn, to convey a sense of ‘regardless’ or ‘no matter what,’ which is a distinction from how ‘anyway’ is used in English.

不管bùguǎn你nǐ怎麼zěnme做zuò， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ是shì不會búhuì答應dāyìng不管bùguǎn你nǐ怎么zěnme做zuò， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ是shì不会búhuì答应dāyìng
No matter what you do, I won’t agree anyway.

不論búlùn別人biérén說shuō什麼shénme， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ只zhǐ相信xiāngxìn你nǐ說shuō的de不论búlùn别人biérén说shuō什么shénme， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ只zhǐ相信xiāngxìn你nǐ说shuō的de
Regardless of what others say, I only believe what you say.

無論wúlùn他tā喜不喜歡xǐbùxǐhuān， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ已經yǐjīng決定juédìng要yào做自己zuòzìjǐ无论wúlùn他tā喜不喜欢xǐbùxǐhuan， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ已经yǐjīng决定juédìng要yào做自己zuòzìjǐ
Whether he likes it or not, anyway, I’ve already decided to be myself .

不管bùguǎn你nǐ最後zuìhòu來不來láibùlái， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ替tì你nǐ留了liúle位子wèizi不管bùguǎn你nǐ最后zuìhòu来不来láibùlái， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ替tì你nǐ留了liúle位子wèizi
Whether you eventually come or not, anyway, I’ve saved a seat for you.

都行dōuxíng吧ba， 反正fǎnzhèng去qù哪裡nǎlǐ都dōu差不多chābùduō都行dōuxíng吧ba， 反正fǎnzhèng去qù哪里nǎlǐ都dōu差不多chàbùduō
It’s fine, anyway, everywhere is pretty much the same.

隨便suíbiàn你nǐ， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ是shì不贊成búzànchéng随便suíbiàn你nǐ， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ是shì不赞成búzànchéng
It’s your choice, but I don’t approve anyway.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ Anyway, my thoughts don’t matter to you, no need to ask me.

反正fǎnzhèng我的wǒde想法xiǎngfǎ對duì你們nǐmen來說láishuō也yě不bú重要zhòngyào， 不用búyòng問wèn我wǒ反正fǎnzhèng我的wǒde想法xiǎngfǎ对duì你们nǐmen来说láishuō也yě不bú重要zhòngyào， 不用búyòng问wèn我wǒ

✔️ You guys decide, I don’t have anything I won’t eat anyway.

你們nǐmen決定juédìng吧ba， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ沒有méiyǒu不bù吃chī的de你们nǐmen决定juédìng吧ba， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ没有méiyǒu不bù吃chī的de

✔️ Whether you agree or not, I definitely have to go to China on a business trip anyway.

不管bùguǎn你nǐ同不同意tóngbùtóngyì， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ一定yídìng得děi去qù中國Zhōngguó出差chūchāi不管bùguǎn你nǐ同不同意tóngbùtóngyì， 反正fǎnzhèng我wǒ一定yídìng得děi去qù中国Zhōngguó出差chūchāi