bàofù: 报复 - To Retaliate, To Avenge, Revenge

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• Summary: Learn the meaning and use of 报复 (bàofù), the common Chinese word for revenge, retaliation, or getting back at someone. This guide explores its cultural context, modern usage in everything from personal spats to international politics, and how it differs from similar terms like `报仇 (bàochóu)`. Understand the nuances of this powerful HSK 5 term to avoid common mistakes and grasp its significance in Chinese society.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bàofù
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To retaliate against, to make reprisals, or to take revenge on someone.
• In a Nutshell: 报复 (bàofù) is the act of getting back at someone for a perceived wrong, insult, or injury. It carries a strong negative connotation and implies a deliberate, often calculated, response. Think of it as the go-to word for everything from a petty act of “getting even” with a coworker to a country imposing retaliatory tariffs.

• 报 (bào): This character means “to report,” “to announce,” or “to repay.” In ancient times, it depicted a person kneeling to report to a superior. Here, it carries the sense of “repaying” an action, whether good or bad.
• 复 (fù): This character means “to return,” “to repeat,” or “to recover.” It signifies a returning action or a restoration.
• When combined, 报复 (bàofù) literally means to “repay by returning” an action. Because it's almost always used in a negative context, it has come to mean repaying a negative act with another negative act—retaliation.

The concept of revenge is universal, but its expression in Chinese culture has unique facets. While epic tales of 报仇 (bàochóu) (avenging a deep wrong, see Related Terms) exist in literature and film, mainstream culture views day-to-day 报复 (bàofù) with caution. A core cultural value is social harmony (和谐, héxié). 报复 (bàofù) is a direct threat to this harmony, creating a negative cycle. This is captured in the famous proverb: 冤冤相报何时了 (yuānyuānxiāngbào héshí liǎo), which translates to “When will the cycle of revenge and counter-revenge ever end?” It's the philosophical equivalent of “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Compared to the Western idea of “getting even,” which can sometimes be framed as a matter of personal justice, 报复 (bàofù) in a Chinese context is more heavily associated with losing face (丢面子, diū miànzi). The act of retaliation is often a desperate attempt to regain face after being publicly slighted. However, the act itself can also cause both parties to lose face, as it exposes a conflict that could not be resolved privately or gracefully.

报复 (bàofù) is a common and versatile word used in various negative contexts. Its connotation is almost always serious and disapproving.

• Personal Relationships: It's often used to describe actions taken after a bad breakup or a fight between friends. For example, spreading rumors about an ex would be described as a form of 报复.
• Workplace Dynamics: An employee who was unfairly criticized might 报复 their manager by intentionally working slowly or “forgetting” to complete a task.
• Social Media and Online: “Revenge posting” (e.g., posting unflattering photos of someone after an argument) is a modern form of 报复.
• Formal/International Context: In news reports, 报复 is the standard term for retaliatory actions between nations, such as imposing tariffs (报复性关税, bàofùxìng guānshuì) or military strikes.

• Example 1:
  • 他只是为了报复才散布那些谣言的。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhǐshì wèile bàofù cái sànbù nàxiē yáoyán de.
  • English: He only spread those rumors to get revenge.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of personal retaliation for a perceived wrong. The context is clearly negative.
• Example 2:
  • 你不应该有这么强的报复心理。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bù yīnggāi yǒu zhème qiáng de bàofù xīnlǐ.
  • English: You shouldn't have such a strong desire for revenge.
  • Analysis: Here, 报复 is used as part of a compound noun, 报复心理 (bàofù xīnlǐ), meaning a “vengeful mentality” or “vindictiveness.”
• Example 3:
  • A国对B国的新关税采取了报复措施。
  • Pinyin: A guó duì B guó de xīn guānshuì cǎiqǔle bàofù cuòshī.
  • English: Country A took retaliatory measures against Country B's new tariffs.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the formal, political use of the term. 报复措施 (bàofù cuòshī) means “retaliatory measures.”
• Example 4:
  • 别惹她，她一生气就喜欢报复人。
  • Pinyin: Bié rě tā, tā yī shēngqì jiù xǐhuān bàofù rén.
  • English: Don't provoke her; she likes to get back at people as soon as she gets angry.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a personality trait, highlighting someone's petty and vindictive nature.
• Example 5:
  • 被解雇后，他决定报复他的前老板。
  • Pinyin: Bèi jiěgù hòu, tā juédìng bàofù tā de qián lǎobǎn.
  • English: After being fired, he decided to take revenge on his former boss.
  • Analysis: A common scenario where someone feels wronged and seeks retribution.
• Example 6:
  • 这难道是一种报复吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhè nándào shì yī zhǒng bàofù ma?
  • English: Is this some kind of revenge?
  • Analysis: A good question to use when you suspect someone's actions are motivated by retaliation.
• Example 7:
  • 小孩子之间的报复通常很幼稚。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎoháizi zhī jiān de bàofù tōngcháng hěn yòuzhì.
  • English: Revenge between little kids is usually very childish.
  • Analysis: Here, 报复 is used as a noun to talk about the concept of revenge in a specific context (among children).
• Example 8:
  • 他的行为不是出于正义，而是纯粹的报复。
  • Pinyin: Tā de xíngwéi bùshì chūyú zhèngyì, ér shì chúncuì de bàofù.
  • English: His actions weren't born from justice, but from pure revenge.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly contrasts revenge with a more noble motive like justice.
• Example 9:
  • 我们担心竞争对手会进行报复性降价。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen dānxīn jìngzhēng duìshǒu huì jìnxíng bàofùxìng jiàngjià.
  • English: We are worried that our competitors will engage in retaliatory price cuts.
  • Analysis: 报复性 (bàofùxìng) acts as an adjective meaning “retaliatory.” This is common in business and economics.
• Example 10:
  • 与其花时间报复，不如向前看。
  • Pinyin: Yǔqí huā shíjiān bàofù, bùrú xiàng qián kàn.
  • English: Rather than spending time on revenge, it's better to look forward.
  • Analysis: This sentence gives advice, framing 报复 as a waste of time and a negative path.

• 报复 (bàofù) vs. 报仇 (bàochóu): This is a key distinction.
  • 报复 (bàofù) is for general retaliation, often for smaller insults or injuries. It can be petty. Your ex posts your embarrassing photos online? That's 报复.
  • 报仇 (bàochóu) is for avenging a deep, serious hatred or injustice, like avenging the murder of a family member. It has a more epic, literary, and “justified” feel. You wouldn't use 报仇 for a workplace squabble.
• Always Negative: Do not use 报复 for “repaying” a kindness. That's a huge mistake. To repay kindness, you use 报答 (bàodá).
  • Incorrect: 他帮了我，所以我要报复他。 (He helped me, so I want to get revenge on him.) → This sounds like you are a terrible person!
  • Correct: 他帮了我，所以我要报答他。 (He helped me, so I want to repay him.)
• Not for Playful “Getting Back”: If you're playing a prank on a friend to “get them back” for a previous prank, 报复 is too strong and serious. You would more likely describe it as 开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào) (joking) or 闹着玩儿 (nàozhe wánr) (playing around).

• 报仇 (bàochóu) - To avenge a deep-seated wrong or feud. More serious and “epic” than bàofù.
• 复仇 (fùchóu) - A more formal or literary synonym for `报仇`, often translated as “vengeance.”
• 报应 (bàoyìng) - Karmic retribution; getting one's just deserts. This is fate or the universe retaliating, not a person.
• 报答 (bàodá) - The positive antonym. To repay a kindness or a favor.
• 抱怨 (bàoyuàn) - To complain; to grumble. Shares the character `报` but is unrelated in meaning. A common point of confusion for beginners.
• 君子报仇，十年不晚 (jūnzǐ bàochóu, shí nián bù wǎn) - A proverb: “For a gentleman to take revenge, ten years is not too late.” It implies that revenge is best served cold and calculated, not rashly.
• 冤冤相报何时了 (yuānyuānxiāngbào héshí liǎo) - A proverb questioning the futility of revenge cycles. “When will mutual vengeance ever end?”
• 打击 (dǎjī) - To strike; to attack; to hit. An action that can be part of a 报复, like a “retaliatory strike” (打击报复, dǎjī bàofù).