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反而 vs 相反 (instead vs on the contrary)
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The opposite happened
- You took medicine for a headache, but it got worse.
- variant of 吃吃(completed / change)了medicine药，headache头疼instead反而more更(used to describe sb or sth…厉害(completed / change)了。 — "After taking the medicine, my headache actually got worse."
instead反而 = instead, on the contrary (adverb)
- instead反而 goes after the subject, before the verb: the result is the opposite of what was expected.
- It often follows not only不但didn't没 / not only不但not不: he他not only不但didn't没get angry生气，instead反而laughed笑(completed / change)了.
he他not only不但didn't没get angry生气，instead反而laughed笑了。
Complete: “He didn't get angry; instead he laughed.” 他没生气，____笑了。
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反而 before the verb = instead.
Build: “After the medicine, the headache actually got worse.”
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Subject + 反而 + verb phrase.
on the contrary相反 = the opposite (adjective / linker)
- on the contrary相反 describes opposition: idea意见on the contrary相反 — "opposite opinions"; just (in time)正好on the contrary相反 — "exactly the opposite".
- on the contrary相反，… starts a sentence: "On the contrary, …": he他not不lazy懒。on the contrary相反，he他very很hard-working努力。
he他not不lazy懒。on the contrary相反，he他very很hard-working努力。
Position decides
- Inside a clause, before the verb, use instead反而: illness病instead反而重了, not illness病on the contrary相反重了.
- Starting a new sentence with a comma, or as "opposite", use on the contrary相反: on the contrary相反，…; direction方向on the contrary相反.
“Our opinions are exactly the opposite.” Which fits? 我们的意见正好____。
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As the predicate meaning “opposite”, use 相反: 我们的意见正好相反. 反而, 却 and 倒 are adverbs that need a verb after them.
Together in a paragraph
- I / me我to think (i.e. to take it…以为he他can / will会very很to feel sad难过，on the contrary相反，he他seemingly看起来very很relaxed轻松。 — "I thought he'd be upset; on the contrary, he looked relaxed."
- Or with instead反而: I / me我to think (i.e. to take it…以为he他can / will会to feel sad难过，he他instead反而very很relaxed轻松.
he他instead反而very很relaxed轻松。
相反 can start a sentence followed by a comma.
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True. 相反 can start a sentence, followed by a comma, to mean “on the contrary”: 他没生气，相反，他很高兴.
Recap
- instead反而 = instead (adverb, after the subject, before the verb).
- on the contrary相反 = the opposite / on the contrary (adjective, or on the contrary相反，… starting a sentence).
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Comparing similar functions.
You took medicine for a headache, but it got worse. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.