# 适得其反

shì dé qí fǎn

Get the opposite of the intended result

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Precisely obtain the reverse

**Traditional Chinese:** 適得其反

**Register:** Critical · conversational

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Use when an action backfires.

It implies an intended outcome and an opposing actual one.

## Behind the words

The expression emphasizes a reversal between intention and result. It is a concise warning that an intervention may backfire.

反 is the opposite of the intended outcome. The idiom applies when an action backfires rather than merely failing to help. Extra pressure might reduce performance, or aggressive promotion might repel an audience. State the original aim and the actual result so the contrast is visible. Compare 得不偿失, where a gain exists but is outweighed by its cost.

## Examples

催得太急，可能适得其反。

### Traditional Chinese

催得太急，可能適得其反。

cuī dé tài jí ， kě néng shì dé qí fǎn 。

Pushing too hard may have the opposite of the intended effect.

你越催她，她越紧张，可能适得其反。

### Traditional Chinese

你越催她，她越緊張，可能適得其反。

nǐ yuè cuī tā ， tā yuè jǐn zhāng ， kě néng shì dé qí fǎn 。

The more you hurry her, the more nervous she becomes, producing the opposite of what you want.

广告太频繁，让用户反感，结果适得其反。

### Traditional Chinese

廣告太頻繁，讓用戶反感，結果適得其反。

guǎng gào tài pín fán ， ràng yòng hù fǎn gǎn ， jié guǒ shì dé qí fǎn 。

Advertisements shown too often annoy users and have the opposite effect.

为了节省时间跳过检查，反而返工，真是适得其反。

### Traditional Chinese

為了節省時間跳過檢查，反而返工，真是適得其反。

wèi le jié shěng shí jiān tiào guò jiǎn chá ， fǎn ér fǎn gōng ， zhēn shì shì dé qí fǎn 。

Skipping checks to save time caused rework and produced the opposite result.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=8522&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E9%81%A9%E5%BE%97%E5%85%B6%E5%8F%8D)

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- [十拿九稳 shí ná jiǔ wěn Be almost certain to succeed ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/shi-na-jiu-wen)

- [实事求是 shí shì qiú shì Base judgment on the facts ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/shi-shi-qiu-shi)

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