字 Kanji Decipher

Meaning & readings

anti-

On’yomi ハン、ホン、タン、ホ
Kun’yomi そ.る、そ.らす、かえ.す、かえ.る、-かえ.る
Nanori そり、た

Origin

This character combines two simple elements to express the idea of opposition or reversal. The top component (厂) represents a cliff or angular form, suggesting something that blocks or stands against. The bottom component (又) depicts a hand or arm, which in combination suggests the action of pushing back or turning away. Together, these parts visually convey the sense of resistance or going against something, which evolved into the meaning "anti-" or reversal. The character's shape, with its angular structure, reinforces this sense of something bent or turned in the opposite direction.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).

反 4 strokes

Components

  • 厂 radical
  • 又 radical

Common words

  • 違反 いはん violation; offense
  • 減反 げんたん reduction (of crop size); reduction of acreage (under cultivation)
  • 反る そる to warp; to curve
  • 反応 はんのう reaction; response
  • 反感 はんかん antipathy; antagonism
  • 反共 はんきょう anticommunism
  • 反響 はんきょう echo; reverberation
  • 反撃 はんげき counterattack; counteroffensive

Related kanji

Same radical

Reference

Strokes
4
Kangxi radical
29
Grade
Grade 3 (Kyōiku)
Frequency rank
#191 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 2
Unicode
U+053CD