5 · Expressions (level 5)
On the contrary: fǎn'ér and dào
the result that runs against expectation
Fǎn'ér turns the expected result upside down; dào does the same, more softly, in speech.
反而 introduces a result that is the reverse of what the situation should have led to. The first clause sets up the expectation, the second overturns it: 吃了药，病反而更重了, “after taking the medicine, the illness actually got worse”. The medicine should have helped; 反而 says that it did the opposite.
It is an adverb, so it stands after the subject of its clause, before the verb or adjective. English “instead” or “on the contrary” can open a sentence; 反而 normally does not come before the subject. The reversal is often spelt out in full with 不但不…反而…: 他不但没生气，反而笑了, “far from getting angry, he laughed”.
倒 does similar work in everyday speech, with a lighter touch: 冬天来了，天气倒暖和了, “winter has come, and the weather has turned warmer, if anything”. It also contrasts two people or things without any expectation being overturned: “my brother is quiet, my sister, on the other hand, is lively”.
With 是, 倒是 grants a point before a 就是 or 可是 takes something back: 好看倒是好看，就是太贵了, “it’s nice, sure, but it’s too expensive”.
The form
| the opposite of what was expected | 吃了药，病反而更重了。 |
| far from … , on the contrary | 他不但没生气，反而笑了。 |
| spoken: dào | 冬天来了，天气倒暖和了。 |
| granted …, but | 这件衣服好看倒是好看，就是太贵了。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
反而 introduces a result that is the reverse of what the situation should have led to.
我想帮忙，结果反而添了麻烦。I wanted to help, and only made more trouble.
反而 is an adverb: it stands after the subject, before the verb or adjective.
雨停了，风反而更大了。The rain stopped, but the wind got even stronger.
不但不 or 不但没 … 反而 … makes the reversal explicit.
他不但不感谢我，反而怪我。Far from thanking me, he blamed me.
倒 does the same in speech, more softly.
本来以为会很难，没想到倒挺容易的。I thought it would be hard, but it turned out to be rather easy.
倒是 grants a point before 就是 or 可是 takes something back.
这个地方安静倒是安静，就是交通不方便。This place is quiet all right, but it’s hard to get to.
A closer look
Not every “instead” is fǎn'ér
English “instead” covers two different things. One is a result against expectation — that is 反而. The other is a simple choice of one thing rather than another: “I didn’t take the bus, I walked instead”. That second kind has no expectation to overturn, and Chinese says it with 而是: 我没坐车，而是走着去的.
倒 has several shades. It can overturn an expectation like 反而; it can set one person against another; it can concede with 倒是; and it can reproach, as in 你说得倒容易, “that’s easy for you to say”. What links them is a small turn away from what one would expect.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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倒 is a verb meaning “fall over”
it is read dǎo, in the third tone.
风太大，树倒了。The wind was so strong that the tree fell over.
The character has two readings: dǎo for falling and toppling, dào for pouring, reversing and the adverb. The tone tells them apart.
How to spot it
- 反而
- 不但不…反而
- 倒
- 倒是…就是
- 反倒
Example sentences
我越解释，他反而越不相信。The more I explained, the less he believed me.
坐出租车遇到堵车，反而比走路还慢。The taxi got stuck in traffic, so it was actually slower than walking.
批评他没有用，反而会让他更不高兴。Criticising him won’t help; it will only make him unhappier.
药吃多了，对身体反而不好。Taking too much medicine actually does you harm.
大家都很紧张，他倒很轻松。Everyone was nervous; he, on the other hand, was quite relaxed.
这家饭馆小倒是小，可是菜做得很好。This restaurant is small, sure, but the food is very good.
7 more example sentences
休息了一个星期，他反而更累了。After a week’s rest he was actually more tired.
东西便宜了，买的人反而少了。Things got cheaper, yet fewer people bought them.
他没复习，成绩反而比我好。He didn’t revise, and his marks were better than mine.
弟弟不爱说话，妹妹倒很活泼。My younger brother doesn’t say much; my younger sister, on the other hand, is very lively.
这个办法简单倒是简单，就是不一定有效。This method is simple enough, but it may not work.
他不但没迟到，反而比谁都来得早。Far from being late, he arrived earlier than anyone.
路修宽了，车反倒更堵了。The road was widened, and the traffic got even worse.
Worth knowing (1)
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Easy for you to say
Before a word like 容易 or 轻松, 倒 can carry a reproach: the other person makes it sound simple, and the speaker does not agree. The tone is sharp but common among friends.
你说得倒容易，你来试试看。That’s easy for you to say — you try it.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English “instead” and “on the contrary” can open a sentence, so learners put 反而 there. It is an adverb, and Chinese adverbs come after the subject: the subject of the second clause first, then 反而, then the verb.
Fǎn'ér stands after the subject and turns the expected result upside down; dào does the same in speech.
Your turn
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