反哺

Chinese

FWOTD – 20 June 2016

		wrong side out or up; anti-	feed
trad. (反哺)		反	哺
simp. #(反哺)		反	哺
alternative forms		返哺

Etymology

Originally referred to a raven that would provide food to its mother after becoming an adult:

雛既壯而能飛兮，乃銜食而反哺。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

雏既壮而能飞兮，乃衔食而反哺。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

Chú jì zhuàng ér néng fēi xī, nǎi xián shí ér fǎnbǔ. [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

Rime
Character	反	哺
Reading #	2/2	1/1
Initial (聲)	幫 (1)	並 (3)
Final (韻)	元 (66)	模 (23)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Closed	Open
Division (等)	III	I
Fanqie	府遠切	薄故切
Baxter	pjonX	buH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pʉɐnX/	/buoH/
Pan Wuyun	/pʷiɐnX/	/buoH/
Shao Rongfen	/piuɐnX/	/boH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/puanX/	/bɔH/
Li Rong	/piuɐnX/	/boH/
Wang Li	/pĭwɐnX/	/buH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/pi̯wɐnX/	/bʱuoH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	fǎn	bù
Expected Cantonese Reflex	faan2	bou6

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): fǎnbǔ

  (Zhuyin): ㄈㄢˇ ㄅㄨˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): faan² bou⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: fǎnbǔ [Phonetic: fánbǔ]
    • Zhuyin: ㄈㄢˇ ㄅㄨˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: fǎnbǔ
    • Wade–Giles: fan³-pu³
    • Yale: fǎn-bǔ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: faanbuu
    • Palladius: фаньбу (fanʹbu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /fän²¹⁴⁻³⁵ pu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: faan² bou⁶
    • Yale: fáan bouh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: faan² bou⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: fan² bou⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /faːn³⁵ pou̯²²/

---

• Middle Chinese: pjonX buH

Verb

反哺

1. to take care of one's parents when they are old; to show filial piety

   • 他們很多人心底，都有反哺父母的強烈願望。 [MSC, trad.]
     他们很多人心底，都有反哺父母的强烈愿望。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2005: anon., http://szlife.oeeee.com

     Tāmen hěn duō rén xīndǐ, dōu yǒu fǎnbǔ fùmǔ de qiángliè yuànwàng. [Pinyin]

     In their hearts, a lot of them have a strong desire to take care of their parents when they are old.

2. to give back to a person or institution which has contributed to one's own growth

   • 從農業支援工業到工業反哺農業，…… [MSC, trad.]
     从农业支援工业到工业反哺农业，…… [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2005: anon., http://finance.sina.com.cn

     cóng nóngyè zhīyuán gōngyè dào gōngyè fǎnbǔ nóngyè,...... [Pinyin]

     From agriculture supporting industry to industry giving back to agriculture ...

Derived terms

• 慈烏反哺／慈乌反哺
• 烏鴉反哺／乌鸦反哺

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (反哺):

• → Japanese: 反(はん)哺(ぽ) (hanpo)
• → Korean: 반포(反哺) (banpo)
• → Vietnamese: phản bộ (反哺)