反弹
fǎntán · HSK 7
rebound
🏀 FAN the ball back + it TANgles the net = rebound
反 means reverse or flip back, 弹 means bounce or spring. Together they describe something springing back after impact — like a basketball bouncing off the rim.
反 — hand 又 under cliff 厂
Originally a pictograph of a hand (又) turning something over against a cliff or slope (厂), depicting the action of flipping or reversing. From this came the core meaning 'to turn over,' which extended to 'opposite,' 'contrary,' and 'rebel against.' The character is purely semantic, with no phonetic component.
弹 — bow 弓 + single 单 (phonetic)
Originally a pictograph of a bow with a pellet ready to launch, 弹 depicted a slingshot or pellet bow. The form was later regularized as a phono-semantic compound: 弓 (bow) gives the meaning of shooting or springing, while 单 supplies the sound. Modern senses—bullet, to pluck, to spring—all extend from this shooting/elastic-release idea.